Can't Take The Sky From Us
by BitterSweetTeller
Summary: In late 2002, Fox cancelled Firefly. We the Browncoats held on to that show come rain or shine, and that makes us mighty. But, what if Firefly was never cancelled? Well, in the spirit of the show... Welcome to my try at keeping Serenity flying. Welcome to my Firefly episode collection. Rated Teen for strong language, at least some strong suggestive content, drama, and action.
1. Foreward

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Foreword:

 _Side Notes_

If you haven't seen the whole official Firefly television series, please do before reading this fanfiction. It'll make more sense this way, because this is a collection of episodes that can also be one for the entire series as if Fox never cancelled it to begin with. And even if you don't want to watch the whole Firefly television series, I recommend looking up important background information through The Firefly and Serenity Database wiki or the main Wiki.

In the interest of continuity around the Dead or Alive episode 2-parter, there are some things to note.

The episode War Stories takes place just before the episode Objects in Space, which is followed by the episode Trash. But, in Objects in Space, Inara goes away long distance for a client instead of seeming to leave for good. The Dead or Alive episode 2-parter takes place just after the episode Trash. And, the revisited episodes Heart of Gold and The Message come later with as little changes as possible in this continuity.

Even with all of this said... I will keep the Serenity movie in continuity with as little changes as possible.

If it ends up becoming more than little changes though, I'll make it its own oneshot.

Also, for simplicity's sake, episodes are under S1 for Season 1 and S2 for Season 2.

 _Author Notes_

When I wrote my alternate endings fanfiction collection All My Ultrons... I knew it was kind of out of the blue.

But, with all the lingering negativity around the Avengers: Age of Ultron movie and Joss Whedon feeling burnt out from making it... I felt it was better late than never to write some fanfiction around that movie.

Part of it was because I liked exploring more possibilities of what could have been the Avengers: Age of Ultron movie. But, it was also because I wanted to remind people in the best way I know how that Joss can write.

With permission, I spun off All My Ultrons from Age of Ultron: Redux by madsthenerdygirl. But, the point still stands.

Before that movie... Joss Whedon was a legend in movies and TV.

As far as I'm concerned, and as far as I know... He still is a good writer: Long as he gets room to sit down, he isn't rushed too much to write a script, and he doesn't have to deal with X-Men and The Incredible Hulk copyright bullshit or similar copyright deals.

Please don't get me wrong. At the time I write this foreword, I'm not sure one way or another how good Joss Whedon is: Especially with the coming of the Justice League movie reshot and directed by him.

But, in a similar line to All My Ultrons... I want to give Joss Whedon more respect than what Twentieth Century Fox gave to him for the original Firefly series.

More to the point... I hope to get closer to a full series of Firefly made by Joss Whedon than ever done before: As though it was never cancelled to begin with.

And, even if the upcoming Justice League movie turns out to be a box office bomb... Even if someone under a misguided or shady Alliance tries to stop the signal... This episode collection can still be flying.

At least, I hope it is. Because, as with All My Ultrons...

I hope I tell good stories, that I give the show Firefly the respect it deserves, and that I keep the signal of respect for the fans going.

Anyway...

Yeah. I hope you enjoy this episode collection.

Feel free to enjoy it or not like it. I can only hope you enjoy it.


	2. S1, Ep 13: Dead or Alive, Part 1

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Dead or Alive, Part 1:

 _Teaser:_

On a nice sunset...Serenity lands on a rather unusual Border planet. The planet? Verbena.

Sprinklings of Verbena flowers, dark green bushes as high as trees with parted trunks as natural scattered gateways to the sky, and open dirt plains go for miles.

Fairs are plenty in summer, with big white sheet tents propped over the tree tall bushes.

But, this planet is most known for its bee farming and its queen bees, in more ways than one.

With most everyone in The Alliance having a soft spot for Verbena honey and Companions, they're a little more lax in their laws here than most planets: Especially with Companions being just as likely to be the law here as most Alliance officers are just as likely to be men on the Core Planets.

On the flip side of the coin... Verbena and its two moons have in recent months become a good place for The Alliance to manufacture Alliance military parts, with most everyone but the non-locals getting along and there being no violent protests.

There's been plenty of heated debate for sure though.

Serenity's cargo ramp opens up.

A whole lot of cows come down the ramp.

In a grayish green T-shirt, Jayne is herding the cows in through the conveniently placed slideable open part of the metal fence: With smacking them with the whip.

Zoe is standing by the ramp in her usual garb, watching Jayne in case he says something unflattering in front of the long haired light blond Alliance friendly Companion officer in a purplish gray uniform.

In a flowery mostly dark purple Chinese dress with whitish blue shoulders... Inara calls lightly over her shoulder, "thank you!" The Companion officer calls back, "always a pleasure, Inara."

Inara smiles back...before coming back in carefully around the cow poo over the gray foil like tarp over the cargo hold floor.

With her fancy whitish blue gloves showing... She hands Mal the bills.

In his usual garb, Mal adds, "thank you."

He starts counting, "let's see. Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen...only twenty Inara? I'm kind of disappointed. Why didn't you go a little higher?"

Inara faintly rolls her eyes.

She insists lightly, "that wasn't my "job", Mal. You didn't say anything about haggling."

Almost like he's offended... Mal comments, "what haggling? That second beefy cow that just came out? Easily ate enough for two. Jayne could tell you that, and he didn't even grow up on a ranch."

He pockets the wad of twenty Platinum in his pants.

Inara wonders, "then where did Jayne grow up?"

Mal says, "Inara... Faint sigh." Inara asks, "what?"

She follows Mal further into Serenity, down the hall.

The sound of the cargo bay closing seems to echo for miles.

Without looking back... Mal insists, "I know where. So does Zoe. And, trust me: You do not want to know where it leads."

He then hears laughter. River's laughter, echoing in the growing dark. He can't even see Inara.

Mal calls out, "Inara! Are you...?"

As realization hits... He murmurs, "what kind of game is this? This ain't Serenity."

He rushes for the closing airlock door, with a bright white light past it. But, it slams shut.

He slams his fist against the door in frustration.

He then sees Saffron...laughing at him with the Lassiter in her hand.

Mal mutters, "it can't be. You...you're in a Alliance prison! You're not here."

Kind of cryptic... Saffron says, "I don't have to play you, Mal: Not this time. You played yourself. She knows what you've done. Now get ready to leave the game."

Mal glares, "what the hell are you talking...about?"

Saffron then vanishes. And, in her place...is River's shadow.

Fog in the dark. Two almost joystick like tan brown consoles dangling over with electric sparks of a reminiscent nature.

River's shadow laughs again. And, she says, "I know what you did, Mal."

Mal glares, knowing all too well this isn't the real River.

The real River would never laugh at him like this: Not intentionally, that is.

He picks up the Lassiter, aiming it right at her.

Mal mutters back, "you're not here: You're a gorram nightmare. You don't really know me."

Nightmare River tells him, "oh, I know the type. You're a killer, Mal. You'll always be a killer: Down by the beach, looking for a sand castle that doesn't wash off into the sea of blood. Faint laugh. You won't find it. Go...before your crew gets hurt. You picked up the gun just to try to scare me away. But, deep down, past the act... You know I'm right."

Then, the scene changes...to Niska's Skyplex in the dim dark.

Zoey, Wash, and Jayne are lying on the floor, with dark red liquid around their bodies. Niska is lying on the floor with dark red liquid around his neck.

But, past the bodies on the floor... There's blurry hints of a dead mostly unclothed woman, lying past the shot up window.

Mal drops the Lassiter...as he feels his arms burning. Boiling.

He tries to go put them in a bucket of water. But, it's no good. Soon, he's burning in flames.

Nightmare River's laughter echoes.

Mal groans violently, forcing himself not to scream.

Soon though... Even though he's not burning to ash... He can't take it anymore.

With tears running down his sorched face... He cries out, "I don't deserve humanity! But...I'm no murderer. Faint sob. I don't want to cut loose! I can't. I...!"

Out of the nightmare...

Mal wakes up with a startle, gasping from his bed and teary eyed.

In the same dress from the nightmare... Inara checks worriedly, "are you ok, Mal?"

Brushing it off... Mal insists, "yeah, I will. Probably just forgot to drink enough water one night. That's all there is to it. I'll find it anyhow where I'm going."

He's already sitting up, gathering his clothes Inara kindly put within reach so he could still be modest in front of her while he puts them on. He wipes out the teariness in his eyes like it's nothing.

Kind of taken aback, kind of not... Inara figures, "well, it must have been a hell of a night."

Mal firmly nods, "yeah. Can't argue with that thinking."

Almost like it's just business... Inara asks, "and, once you get all your clothes on... Are you ready to get off the ship?"

* * *

 _Act I_

After Mal gets all his clothes on, with Inara's back turned to him...

Mal is over his pull out sink, shaving pasty smelly shaving cream off his face with a curved knife. The unofficial "standard" for border planets when it comes to shaving.

Inara looks to him from behind, her faint amused look reflected in his mirror.

She's enjoying this more than she wants to admit: Not to his face, anyway.

Mal checks, "and the rest of the crew?"

Inara answers, "sleeping. They won't know unless you tell them. Your shuttle is waiting all nice and polished. The way is clear now."

As he shaves some more off his chin... Mal comments offhandedly, "you know I don't care much for that kind of thing."

Inara reasons, "I know. But, you do at least appreciate the trouble I've gone to to get your shuttle ready?"

Mal pauses in shaving, yawning from the late hour. But, he hasn't cut himself.

Mal answers back, "of course I...do."

He shaves the last wad of shaving cream. Then, he puts the curved knife into the water.

The faint uneasy silence goes on a little longer, as he dries off the knife on a small pale brown towel and puts it away in a faint green pencil holder like holder on the desk.

With hints of worry in her voice... Inara asks, "what is it?"

Mal turns back to her.

In a serious tone... He brings up, "what do you mean the way is clear now?"

A little awkwardly...Inara tries to assure him, "oh, just Kaylee. And, you know how Jayne has been these past few days."

A little uncomfortably, Mal concludes, "yeah. He's back on his feet, aching to shoot someone. Preferably none of us. But, let's go back to the part where the way to the shuttle is clear."

Before Inara can say something... Mal says sharply low, "is everyone up now?! I thought we agreed no one 'cept you would know where I'm going so I could get back a little of my keen senses."

Kind of grumpily, Inara insists, "Mal, I didn't tell anyone you're up. Not even Kaylee...however tempting that was. Although, if you're loud enough, you'll wake them all up."

Mal heavily sighs. He doesn't feel like arguing more: Not this far in the late hour.

Mal more lightly says, "ok. Thank you." He yawns again.

Inara faintly smiles. After all, this is the only time so far he really backed off.

But, a hint of surfacing mixed unease just as quickly comes across her face.

Inara concludes, "you're welcome. But, now that you mention it..."

Mal figures, "ok. What is it you're not telling me?"

Inara explains simply, "I'm not trying to fight you, Mal. I was getting to it."

Back with a serious tone... Mal faintly remarks, "then get to it. How does that figure?"

Inara says, "all right. Jayne wants to talk to you. He says it can't wait 'till we dock at Verbena."

Sounding a little amused now... Mal faintly laughs, "oh, he did?"

Sounding mostly relieved, and with a faint smile... Inara deduces, "nothing I can't help with, since I'm acting Captain for a few days. But, he did. Sometimes, Mal, I'm really not sure about him."

Mal washes his face over the sink with soap and water, getting rid of most of the smell.

After that... Mal comments, "well, you and me and Zoe."

Inara concludes, "true. So...you're going to go talk to him before you go?"

Mal dries his face with the bigger tan brown towel.

Mal answers, "sure. Knowing the state Jayne is getting himself worked up in, it's better that way. Just tell him you'll get me up with some nice cold water and that I'll be right by the shuttle."

She says, "all right."

Inara turns to go. She turns back though.

Inara can't help but ask, "and what are you doing first?"

Mal is running the water again.

Like it's nothing...Mal comments, "what does it look like? I'm getting some nice non-Alliance friendly cold water."

He's already splashing his face with the cold water.

Over her shoulder, Inara comments back, "sometimes I don't know about you either, Mal."

She's tempted to laugh. But, she just starts up the ladder and closes the door behind her.

Mal rises from over the sink, faintly laughing to himself. He dries off the splashes from his face.

Once Inara has left the room though... His amusement fades just as quickly.

And, as he uneasily glances back at his mirror... Mal murmurs to himself, "yeah. Maybe it's better that way."

Twelve days earlier, in Inara's shuttle...

The silvery lined red curtains by the dark red couch looked to be on the verge of tears. Darkness was all the darker, and the candle light was all the sharper.

Inara was in the middle of saying, "no, that's a narrow... There are nuances of meaning that..."

Mal coldly said, "maybe you shoulda stuck with your wiles."

He turned to leave.

Inara tried to put it more delicately, "don't put all of this on me, Mal. You know you haven't been after serious work in a..."

Turned back to her.

He muttered incredulously, "serious work? You wanna know wha... If I...?!"

In Mal's mind... He heard it like two bullets through him.

The Battle of Serenity. Shots.

Unification Day flags raised high. A woman screaming. Mal's silhouette running like hell.

But, he just as quickly seemed to have shook the mental images away.

Inara asked with concern, "what?"

Teary eyed... Mal insisted, "nothing."

In the lingering silence though... Inara picked up on it.

She somberly said, "I'm sorry, Mal. Faint sniffle. I'm being insensitive. I should have known."

Mal tensed up. But, he let it go.

With mixed relief, he commented, "okay. That's something anyway. Known what?"

Teary eyed, Inara concludes, "well...you fought in a war, Mal. Post traumatic stress is never easy to live with. I've been there for clients who fought in the Unification War who still don't rest easy. Even keep watch for them on occasion so they could rest a little easier. And as difficult as it might be for you to believe...I'm not trying to make living for you harder."

With a weak smirk... Mal said, "well...that's still something. We're not calling each other petty."

Inara admitted, "yeah. I'm thankful for that myself."

Their eyes dried up a little. The drapes seemed to dry up a little.

Inara sat back down on her couch, breathing nervously over it all.

Mal sat beside her. He sighed heavily into his hands.

After a bit... Mal asked out of the blue, "so...you keep watch?"

Looking kind of amused and taken aback all at once... Inara pointed out, "I thought my credentials would tell you as soon as I came onboard on your ship. I mean, with how you insulted me back then, I guess I just didn't really think to..."

Mal urged, "no more crazier things tonight. Just...talk plainly."

Inara concluded, "all right. I'll talk plainly then. I'm a Bodyguard grade Companion. It means I have bodyguard training, first aid training, and training in many weapons as well as Companion training. I just really prefer not to have to aim a gun at anyone unless there's no other way."

More brightly, Mal remarked, "well, gorram. You know, that's the most plainly you ever spoke around me. Got to say I'm already impressed."

Inara blushed a little. She commented back, "if I didn't know you better Malcolm Reynolds, I'd say you were flirting."

Mal kind of nervously said, "what? No. No. Not at all. Although..."

Inara asked, "what?"

Mal got up. He was pacing a little, before turning back to her.

Mal considered out loud, "I've been thinking on who should act as a failsafe for the job. Knowing Saffron, you can't turn your back on her for a minute. It was originally going to be Zoe. But, I'm thinking maybe that someone should be you. You want to prove your worth that you can be a thief like me? Well, I'm now offering you that kind of chance: If you want it."

Inara beamed, "all right. I accept your offer. But, I get to storm out on you: Not the other way around."

She sounded almost calculating on the whole storming out part.

With his hands up...a slightly stunned Mal just said, "that's... Yeah. That's plenty fair. I'll go dig out Saffron from her crate."

He started heading out of Inara's shuttle, smirking very happily to himself.

And, Inara commented over her shoulder, "doesn't mean you have to like it so much."

Presently, not long after...

Looking stunned, Mal comments, "Jayne, you're talking crazy. No. No way in hell."

Jayne is standing opposite Mal, in a reddish brown T-shirt with a hurled army boot shrouded by a sand storm that says "Kiss and Tell, My Ass: I Got My Boots" across it.

They stand at the open door to shuttle two, both uneasily facing each other.

Jayne thinks out loud, "honestly, had kind of a hard time believing it myself. Someone breaking out of that Alliance prison satellite just several days after being left? Sure seemed like crazy talk. But, Kaylee was in the cockpit. She picked it up on the Cortex. Hell, I just know cause she knows it."

Around this time, not so far off from Bellerophon...

Three moons of light brownish gray circle around in space.

Two have been mostly ignored. That is, aside from rich folk using craters as warehouses to store prized collections they gloat on about and broadcast live feeds to their guests through holographic windows. Sliding heavy metal doors up top and Alliance watchtowers of gray are all that stand between the prizes staying where they be and floating off into space on their own accord.

One moon though is just desert land without a atmosphere. Its name is Tyrinis.

And, over Tyrinis...is a Alliance prison satellite. Stark silver with a gray black and reddish brown rimmed satellite dish with a low hum to it, with ten cell blocks stacked on top in a column. Half of them are occupied, with prisoners banging against the walls screaming just to feel a little better.

Only reason they're kept alive at all is that they're high level prisoners: Prisoners seen as potential assets to help The Alliance go after big bad criminals still at large. Any that resist are killed. But, they're let go with another chance "to let The Alliance give them peace" if they get the job done.

Security cameras are always on. But, the power has to recharge a minute every fifteen minutes to stay that way. Flat metal stretchers barely dark red cushioned are the beds. A small trash chute and a food chute for each cell. No windows except for little ones in airlock doors. There's only one dark red rimmed gray black mine shaft styled elevator between them and space, and it stays at the sheriff office styled control room unless a Operative of The Alliance goes to escort one of the prisoners out.

In the second highest cell... Saffron is sitting in the corner of her cell, still in her garbage smelling dress and necklace from days ago and glaring at the sewer like grated gray floor.

In a drawn out way...she wipes her mouth with a tattered dark blue napkin.

She then crumples it up and goes over to dump it in the chute.

But, with her back to the cameras... She faintly smiles.

For, written in black pen in the underside of the napkin is, "job worth ten thousand credits. Think you can distract the guards?"

Through a side airlock, a Alliance Operative comes into the control room. The Alliance scanner already confirmed his ID.

He has medium brown hair and a kind of contemptuous face. He wears jet black leather armor. He has a polished jet black shotgun in his holster with sharp silver lines across it.

One of the Alliance guards in a gray flat hat behind the gray, red, and black controls and camera monitors just firmly nods. Another says, "good evening."

The Operative doesn't say anything. He just takes out some papers, going over them to the side.

Saffron sighs in a little, turning to the cameras and fanning herself like she's hot.

She mutters out loud, "it's hot in here! How many credits did they lose to make a idiotic cooler? Ugh. I had enough of this."

Saffron then starts taking off her dress from the top, showing off her breasts.

One of the Alliance guards comments, "what is she doing?"

At a whisper... The other Alliance guard faintly laughs to him, "what does it look like? We're getting a free strip show."

Both guards start to smirk to themselves, both looking at a camera monitor with Saffron on it.

But, seconds later... Two loud choos go off.

The monitor is riddled with bullets. The guards fall dead on the floor, with dark red liquid around their bodies and their chairs.

The criminal hired gun smirks, glad to toss aside the fake Operative ID.

He then presses a gray up button to call the elevator and gets in.

Saffron is already back to being fully clothed, smiling in amusement to herself.

The hired gun makes it down to her cell, coming in.

He asks, "you ready for the...job?"

Kind of impatiently... Saffron asks back, "what?"

With a hand waved over his nose... The hired gun comments uneasily, "whoo! Who got you mooned? The Fei-oo man?"

Saffron annoyedly rolls her eyes. She just coldly says, "you said there was a job. Let's just get to the details on that silver platter your boss has ready to hand over to me when it's done. And, if you want me to take the job? Get me right to the nearest bath."

The hired gun firmly nods.

As she gets on the elevator with him... Saffron adds with a sharp smile, "that's better."

The elevator starts its way up to the control room.

Soon, they're both strapped in in the front of a already commandeered ASREV police cruiser.

The ASREV flares up its engines and takes off...several minutes before a small fleet of next generation military issue gunship styled darker grey ASREV cruisers arrive to check on reports of a missing Bellerophon ASREV police cruiser.

Not long after that... A frustrated Alliance colonel presses some buttons at the controls of his Tohoku Class city ship.

A black and white picture of Saffron is put on the Cortex: With "Dead or Alive: 1.5 million credits" below in big black letters. And, across every copy of tan brown paper across the Verse with real thin and cheap transparent platinum holographic covering, it's automatically updating with the next news wave for the morning.

Around this time, back around to Serenity...

Mal mutters under his breath, "Ching-wah TSAO duh liou mahng! That's not what I mean."

Confused... Jayne starts to ask, "then what do...?"

With a intense look... Mal gets right to his point, "how do you know Saffron won't turn on you? You really think she'd love somebody even the least bit decent? Let's clear up something here. She has got no care for anyone in the Verse 'cept herself and maybe that Durran son of a bitch. She turned on us before and left us to die from pirates looking to scrap Serenity. So, I'm asking: What makes you so special, Jayne? What does?"

Jayne moderately deeply sighs. He concludes, "I know it kind of sounds like crazy talk."

Mal figures, "yeah. Even for you, it sounds like plain crazy talk."

Jayne reasons, "I was about to kill you and Zoe when we first met and I turned out all right. Hell, when I thought Saffron just a lowly whore, I loved her. Then we took the Lassiter, and I got to thinking. I can't stop thinking on her. I love her. Faint laugh. 'sides, she try anything 'round me...there's the bounty: Over a million credit. I know psychotic, Mal. I ain't stupid."

Mal laughs loudly, almost forgetting he doesn't want to wake up anyone.

He shortly after catches his breath, stopping himself. Jayne's glaring at him all annoyed.

Mal then highlights, "yeah. Well...anything's possible with my "psychotic blushing bride". With the latest in criminal apprehensions, jobs for us are looking scarce: Courtesy of The Alliance. And, Wash getting Mr. Universe to fence the Lassiter for us got us the best shot at riches we had so far. All right, Jayne. If it means that much to you to prove what I call a losing battle sure as hell ain't...I just might take you up on it. But, what about Kaylee? She'd sure as hell miss you."

With a faint smirk, Jayne says confidently, "we talked. Actually, she tried talking me into staying. But, she said if I really got feelings for her, I should go get her. Try to cozy up, have good s..."

Tiredly, Mal kind of cuts him off, "yeah. I really don't need this kind of picture, Jayne. Still...she could be right. You've been aching for a job of your own for a good long while. Could be good for you to cut loose a little. But, if she does turn on you..."

Jayne concludes, "I'll at least get a good bounty turning her in for ya."

With a faint knowingly smile... Mal figures, "exactly. Appreciate it."

He starts to step into shuttle two. But, he turns back just as quickly.

Mal wonders offhandedly, "by the way... Did you know Inara is a Bodyguard Companion?"

Jayne faintly laughs. Sounding amused, he figures, "the whole crew knew. With you Captain, I thought it was damn obvious."

Mal goes, "hey. Those days meeting Saffron again got a little touchy. That's all it was."

With a smirk... Jayne remarks, "yeah: For you. The rest of us got to play along. You was left out in the desert like a sweating pig. But, we already knew you was coming back. Still... Damn time Inara got to get some real action. Faint laugh. Not exactly the kind of action I was hoping for. But..."

Mal suddenly glares. He says warningly, "Jayne...I'm only going to say this once. Don't bring up Inara like that around me. Dong ma?"

Almost awkwardly... Jayne goes, "okay. I wasn't trying to get in between you and..." Mal insists more lightly, "I know, Jayne. You're still you."

Jayne figures, "thanks. 'sides, least you can admit you love her."

Like he's gotten hard of hearing...Mal asks, "what was that, Jayne?" Jayne adds, "you heard me."

Mal faintly chuckles. He goes, "yeah. It's funny. Get some sleep, Jayne. These shifts are starting to make you Fong luh."

Jayne murmurs, "yeah. All right, Mal. Have it your way."

Mal goes to step further inside the shuttle. But, he turns back just as quickly.

He remarks lightly, "well, after Verbena, it's still gonna be my ship. And, don't ever bring up my precious nakedness again."

Jayne figures, "okay. I ain't really sure I dong ma. But, sure."

Mal concludes, "good enough. And, if there's any trouble, you know how to reach Serenity. I was gonna take this with me. Though, I can just get the other. 'sides, you likely need it more than me."

He takes out a modified version of a faintly familiar looking two way pale black and gray radio, back when Mal had a talk with Jayne after the job on Ariel.

A few days ago, River toyed around with some faulty connection wires Kaylee discarded on the floor and wired them into the two way radios to be able to reach the Cortex.

She doesn't even remember how she did it. But, she modified the radios to be Sunner range with some computer components including those discarded wires: Creating their own encrypted private radio line through Serenity's connection to the Cortex, capable of sector or sub-system range within the Verse. Even Jayne and Mal were impressed with River's handiwork this time.

Jayne uneasily pockets the two way radio. He still feels uneasy about holding one.

A bit later... Mal comes back with the other two way radio in hand.

Jayne concludes, "all right. I don't know where you're going. Kind of figures you ain't telling me. But..."

Mal asks, "what is it?"

Jayne figures, "well, good luck."

Mal faintly smiles. He says, "thanks. And, watch yourself 'round Saffron."

He points to Jayne on the last part.

Jayne kind of assures him, "I always watch myself." Mal adds, "right."

He goes to step into his shuttle again...only to turn back to Jayne.

Sounding amused with himself... Mal realizes, "come to think of it... I don't think Inara would take kindly to taking her shuttle to meet Saffron. How 'bout I just drop you off close to Bellerophron?"

With a faint smirk... Jayne reasons, "sounds reasonable. But, what about where you're going?"

With a flat hand up... Mal insists, "it's ok, Jayne. It's no trouble where I'm going."

Jayne faintly laughs.

He sharply remarks, "you know Mal, at the rate we're going, the whole damn crew will be up before we get to going."

Mal responds back, "faint laugh. Not really. Close the door." Jayne adds, "sure."

He and Jayne head into the shuttle. Jayne closes the shuttle door behind them.

But, shortly before he does... Inara waves to them with a faint knowing smile.

* * *

 _Act II_

In the late morning, in the kitchen on Serenity...

Most everyone has already eaten.

Inara and Zoe recently went out on the surface of Verbena to close the deal on the cattle.

A few apples and bananas are left on the table, along with some discarded banana peels and apple stems from a day ago. Some tinfoil wrap protein packets are left torn up and empty.

What's in protein packets?

Red to brown to gold to green swirled powdery stuff to mix into water with a spoon.

No cooking required. But, it's like eating toothpaste: Naturally off put and unnaturally creamy. Keeps all kinds of folk awake enough just swallowing it.

In her gray kind of unzipped mechanic jumpsuit with hints of a mostly blue tropical shirt showing... Kaylee is sitting at the table, struggling to stay awake.

She keeps hovering her face over a metal bowl full of protein packet mix, hair and all. Her forehead and some of the back of her hand are still grease stained from the night before.

Sitting awkwardly by her is Wash, wearing a orange, white, and red swirled open buttoned shirt.

Wash points out, "umm... Kaylee...you're resting in the healthsome bugpowder."

He taps her shoulder to drive the point home.

Kaylee sits up with a startle.

Kaylee realizes, "ohh. Faint uneasy laugh. No problem washing it. That's all it is: Just protein."

She stretches out some of her hair on a pale tan napkin, wiping some protein off like it's nothing.

She puts down the napkin and takes another. She then sighs back in her chair.

With some somberness in her voice... Kaylee figures offhandedly, "just didn't feel like a apple."

Wash sighs uneasily. He says, "Kaylee...how many times do I have to say I'm sorry?"

Tiredly from lack of sleep... Kaylee interestingly faintly smiles.

With a sympathetic hand on his... She assures him, "Wash. It's ok. There's no way in the Verse you... Yawn. ...could know. I know Mr. Universe meant to give us six months full of decent credits for our troubles. He got his own moon tower on the Rim. Yawn. Sure good reception there for hackers making cheerful waves. Really, I'm happy for him. But, this is Serenity: My girl. I...just kind of hurt he didn't think sooner of maintenance and flying low on gas for her. Heavy sigh. Woulda sure saved me a lot more sleep and engine fixings trying to keep her happy and flying."

Wash comments dryly, "yeah, well... Right now, I'm just glad it's not me. Next time we give him a priceless artifact, we'll keep that in mind. And, we'll be sure to do better than a month of hair in food and crawling around the wires to stay airborne."

Kaylee beams. She concludes, "thanks Wash. That's all I can really ask."

Her hand parts from his.

Kaylee yawns, holding her hand over her mouth.

She figures, "I think I'm gonna go powder my face, finish what's here, and sleep in a little."

She gets up, bringing the half finished metal bowl of protein packet mix with her.

Wash says, "right. Right. No problem. You want me to get you up for the festival tonight?"

Kaylee pauses. She turns back to him.

With a cheeky smile... Kaylee suggests, "only if Simon can't get me up."

Wash faintly chuckles. He adds, "of course you want him to."

Kaylee heads out of the kitchen, holding onto the door frame with her free hand to steady herself on her way to the engine room. But, she gets there otherwise no problem.

Not long after, by the ship's Infirmary...

A few feet away from the door... Inara asks, "what's wrong? I thought River was curious to see Verbena's bee farms and enjoy herself at the fair tonight."

In a mostly brown plaid vest over a white long sleeved formal shirt... Simon is just opposite her.

Kind of uneasily, Simon reasons, "she still is. Not really for the bees now. But, that's the point."

He then whispers, "she doesn't want to admit it. But, she's afraid of them."

Very awkwardly and matching his volume... Inara concludes, "I'm sorry. I didn't know she can read what insects feel."

Still whispering... Simon explains, "no. She says the bees are feeling fine. With her condition though...she's afraid getting stung will give her a heart attack that will overwhelm her afferent and efferent nerves and kill her."

From the Infirmary... River loudly says, "I'm not afraid! I'm just... Faint sniffle. Just want to function like a girl. Voices. Voices running with me on the shore. But, not my feet."

She's in a rope like white top she recently finishing weaving herself, worn over a purplish whitish top: With a four tip red star in the middle and a fiery bird claw coming out. With how the crew feels with her with sharp objects though, River a little reluctantly weaved under Inara's supervision.

She's sitting kind of shakily on the medical bed, faintly teary.

Simon and Inara go to the open door to the Infirmary, awkwardly facing River.

Simon deduces considerately, "okay, River. You're right. That's more than fair."

River faintly smiles knowingly.

Seeming a little embarrassed...Inara just as quickly shrugs it off.

She concludes, "I think I understand now. If she's willing, I have a suggestion."

Sounding happier, Simon goes, "great. What is...?"

River interrupts with saying, "sleeping. But, I don't want to. Sniffle. Still have nightmare bits."

Inara admits, "we know. But, unless it's with Simon's medication or Verbena beekeeper Fúzhuāng... Moderate sigh. We don't know how to help your nightmares go away. I wish we could."

River nods. She concludes, "she comprehends. But... Close your eyes."

Knowing she might've sensed something... Inara and Simon are quick to close their eyes.

Suddenly, River turns up the hospital lights...until they short out and kind of explode.

A bright flare. The infirmary gone dark.

Inara and Simon groan.

It's still a little bright to them. But, they quickly regain their senses.

Simon calls out worriedly, "River?!"

He runs in, getting a flashlight. A worried Inara just stands there, not sure yet what's going on.

Simon pulls some medical supplies from the shelves.

He goes to get the medical monitor to face River and start it up again. But, then...

Mostly calm sounding... River says, "I'm here, Simon. Faint cough. Star lights in her eyes, no moon to dance on. Seeing again in five hours and twenty one minutes. No needles! Annoyed sigh. Eye rain I didn't see come."

Simon sighs in relief as he starts to get reading off the medical scanner.

Teary eyed, Inara says, "don't do that again River. We were really worried about you."

With a faint sniffle...River sighs deeply.

She cryptically says, "flew too close to the stars. Moderate groan! Didn't want to get the children crying."

Simon just dropped some eye drops in her eyes with a plastic gun styled eye dropper.

Coming into the dark Infirmary... Inara checks, "is she going to be...?"

Simon mostly assures, "yeah. Faint uneasy chuckle. She's still a brat. But, my diagnosis seems to be just as she said. She's going to see again. Probably that many hours and minutes later."

Inara solemnly nods. She says kind of assuringly, "I know she meant well."

She turns to leave. But, she turns back.

Kind of uncomfortably... Inara brings up, "Simon, I'm glad she'll be ok. But, when Kaylee gets up...who's going to tell her there's another thing to be scheduled for maintenance pay?"

She and Simon both look nervously at each other.

But, before Inara can answer... Simon figures, "I'll tell her. It's no problem."

Inara faintly smiles with a nod, "thanks Simon." Simon just adds, "you're welcome."

Inara then leaves the Infirmary.

With her eyes closed and absorbing the eye drops... River then somberly concludes, "didn't want to get the children crying. Just wanted to come out and play."

With a sympathetic hand on hers... Simon nods, "I know. I'm sure Kaylee will understand."

River faintly smiles to him, not having to look to know he's faintly smiling too.

A hour later, over Bellerophron...

The sun shines over the Bellerophron sea. A mostly stark gray towering loosely lamppost styled Bellerophron Estate with blue tinted window drapes hovers over the sea waves. A lot of smallish Japanese trees surround the Estate's massive grass lawn.

Suddenly...the commandeered ASREV circles around the top.

The ship's pilot fires a red lined gray missile into the top floor...setting the bedroom and very dark purplish bed sheets aflame.

A guy with polished black medium hair in a very dark purplish bathrobe ducks for cover behind the automatic plastic like bathroom door.

He's Johnston Iver: A Alliance corporate millionaire in expensive produce.

The sprinklers go off on immediate. The Estate alarms are going off like crazy.

Johnston Iver comes out of the bathroom, a little out of breath and breathing nervously.

He looks through the shattered scorched window by the ashes where the bed once was.

But, before he could get a good look at the pilot... And, with a flare of its engines... The ASREV takes off under the Estate's grav generators down the underside.

Not long after that...

Johnston Iver is shaking nervously still on his dark purplish couch, feet tapping on the floor. A pillar with a dark yellow banner with a white swirled Alliance symbol among several is by his feet.

A few Alliance police officers are patrolling the wide open living room. Eleven Alliance police officers are standing out by their ASREV police cruisers: Armed with Sonic rifles and ready to draw.

But, in the dimly lit back of one ASREV... There's one young officer with a gray cap who is drawn to somebody else.

That someone is Saffron...in a thin black gown styled dress with white lace along the rim of the sleeves and the rim of the neckline, and not so subtly feeling up his side and face.

The officer though awkwardly moves her hands off: Lightly but firmly.

Red in the face... The police officer kind of protests, "Danelle...I'm still on duty."

Still holding his hand... Saffron goes all assuringly, "and we are, hunny. We'll get garments back on as soon as we hear shots. I'm going to the Police Academy next month, aren't I?"

Still plenty nervous... The police officer tries to assure her, "I know. But, please Danelle. We'll have plenty of time for that after my shift."

Reluctant sounding... Saffron concludes, "well...all right. Can I at least have a kiss to help tide me?"

They both faintly chuckle, smiling kind of awkwardly.

The police officer then lightly says, "well...all right."

The police officer kisses her...before falling unconscious on the metal floor with a loud thud.

In a kind of disgusted way... Saffron mutters under her breath, "that'll do."

She takes the officer's sonic rifle on her way out of the ASREV, faintly smiling at holding it.

With the latest in Alliance crackdowns, gang leader Alcibiades decided to go more preemptive. The job seemed plenty simple to Saffron: Take Johnston Iver as a hostage to force The Alliance to back off long enough for Alcibiades's gang to get away from Bellerophron until the crackdown blows over.

One of the Alliance police officers calls out in confusion, "Miss! What are you...?!"

Saffron fires the sonic rifle at him with a very low choo.

The sonic wave stuns him and another incoming officer. They cough hard against the grass.

One Alliance police officer calls out, "stand down miss, or we will shoot!"

Suddenly... The hired gun opens his parked ASREV...slamming the door on auto hard into a Alliance officer.  
He falls to the ground, knocked out.

The hired gun shoots him dead and just keeps walking.

Seven Alliance police officers start firing at Saffron and the hired gun.

Saffron ducks behind a ASREV. She tosses the sonic rifle aside.

Sonic waves with very low choos keep coming.

The hired gun shoots dead another officer, with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

The ASREVs just vibrate a little. That is...except for the open ASREV.

A sonic wave hits the open ASREV door's hydraulics...with enough concentration to explode them off the flaming open door.

The hired gun is knocked off his feet, knocked out against some hard pavement.

Saffron curses under her breath, "yīgè báichī bit zi de érzi!"

Saffron tumbles under the ASREV's wing she was behind. She just as quickly gets to her feet.

Saffron high kicks the closest officer into a then shattering ASREV windshield. He groans violently against the jagged glass, with hints of dark red liquid dripping from them.

She's grabbed by two officers. But, she's quick to grapple slam one into the other with momentum, stunning him a bit.

Before they can react...she side kicks the other one and then the already stunned officer in the other direction hard into some ASREV wings. They groan violently, struggling to get up.

The other four officers are falling back, trying to get Johnston Iver into a ASREV and get away.

Saffron runs right for them.

But, with a very low choo, two officers fire their sonic rifles at her.

With incoming twin sonic waves, Saffron tries to run past. But...one manages to knock her down.

She tumbles to her feet from reflex alone. But, she coughs violently a little: Struggling to stand.

She looks up...to see Jayne parachuting down in a gray parachute: Firing his LeMat Percussion Revolver styled handgun into three of the officers.

Jayne lands on the ground. He's quick to grapple and snap the neck of the fourth officer.

He then decks Johnston Iver, taking him out before he could flee into the open ASREV.

Saffron looks a little stunned. But, she's quick to hide it as she kind of shakily walks over.

Suspiciously... She asks him, "Jayne? What the hell are you and Mal cutting in my bounty for?"

Jayne faintly uneasily laughs. He comments, "and you sure kind of look like hell. Good thing I showed up and saved your ass and whatever goods was on this guy before he got off all scared."

She holds on to a piece of wing from the ASREV to steady herself, coughing violently a little.

Sounding a little amused... Saffron asks anyway, "you sure Mal didn't get you to come for me?"

With a slight wave of his gloved hand... Jayne insists, "naw. I'm out on my own. But, I ain't out here for just a bounty. I'm thinking together we can bring a whole lot of coin. Dong ma?"

Saffron looks up at hearing this.

Then... She laughs hard.

Jayne glares intensely and annoyedly at her, standing there.

Saffron then breathes hard...reminded of her pulsing heavily bruised side as she clutches her side.

With Jayne glaring though... Saffron realizes, "ohh. Sorry. You were serious?"

Jayne mutters annoyedly, "maybe not that much if you're not gonna take me seriously."

He turns to take the ASREV for himself and leave.

Surprisingly somberly... Saffron suddenly calls out, "Jayne! Wait."

That gets his attention.

Jayne turns back to face her, unintentionally looking to be on guard with his shotgun.

Saffron says, "I'm sorry. I... Moderate sigh. I thought you and Mal were war buddy bonded: Just as Zoe is."

Jayne faintly laughs at that.

More lightly, he concludes, "naw. Not really. Still...thanks." Saffron adds, "sure."

Forgetting the situation... Jayne admits, "the truth is though that's not all that I'm thinking on."

Saffron points out, "well... Violent cough! Now I'm thinking we get the ASREV and my bounty, and get ourselves a cabin down in the canyons. I can walk. But, I got to lie down."

With a smirk, Jayne figures, "no problem. I was thinking of taking this little ship myself."

He helps set Saffron down on the back of the ASREV. She straps herself in as Jayne grabs up and plops the unconscious body of Johnston Iver in the back.

Then, Jayne gets into the pilot's seat and straps himself in.

The newly commandeered ASREV takes off...diving right for the desert lands of Bellerophron.

In a kind of low tone... Jayne suddenly hits on something, "wait. Your bounty?! I came and helped protect you. So, how 'bout my cut?"

Saffron faintly laughs.

She remarks, "nice cut. Violent cough. But, any good player could've grabbed up Johnston."

Jayne comments lowly, "I'm protecting you in a gorram fed ship, and I got to try harder now?!"

Sounding more and more amused by the minute... Saffron answers, "looks that way, don't it?"

Jayne mutters to himself, "aw hell."

A few hours later...

Past the sandy rocky plains and tumbleweed like grass of Bellerophron... By the side of a dome mountain... There's some rock crafted wood like cabins: Painted to blend in, hidden from The Alliance.

Inside, there's dark reddish drawers, cobblestone fireplaces, and old fashioned red tinted windows and dark red sheeted beds.

Inside one of them... Jayne sits on a metal chair, facing the bed. Saffron is lying down face up on the bed, with half of her dress undone so she could stuff a ice pack in it to reduce the swelling.

But, with or without the swelling... There's something of a awkward silence in the room.

After a bit... And, very stunned sounding... Saffron finally says something.

She says, "I've had many men be on me. But, I've never found a man wanting more than just play with me. Moderate sigh. This is getting harder to say. But..."

Uneasy sounding... Jayne asks, "yeah?"

Saffron moves the ice pack off to the side. She thinks a bit more.

Then, with a very faint smile... Saffron admits, "I'm touched by your forwardness and large pounds of muscle flesh begging for me. I might get into loving you. But... Faint sniffle. I don't think I deserve you, Jayne Cobb. You don't hate me. But, Malcolm Reynolds? He and his crew hate me."

With a faint smirk... Jayne considers, "now that last part I ain't much sure of. But, if there's something I ought to know 'bout Mal...he treasures his crew. We don't like somebody turning on us. But, with you, I think kind of different. We've got a hell of sense. Faint laugh. Least I think that."

Surprisingly more solemn sounding than she's ever sounded... Saffron admits, "I don't like The Alliance much. I don't hate Malcolm Reynolds for it. What I take personal is getting in the way of my payout. I need payouts to not die out in the Verse. And, if I'm lucky, I get a bath alone once a month."

With a sympathetic hand on hers... Jayne tries to assure her, "you don't with me. We do whatever the ruttin' hell we want: No sittin' in no puddles of piss. Hell, don't turn on Mal long enough, he'd come around."

Saffron says, "so he's tough but fair. That's real shiny. But...there's the other foot."

Jayne can't help but ask, "what other foot?"

Saffron moves her hand away.

Saffron explains, "Jayne, I... Moderate sigh. I play feelings well with playing parts. But, that's the real HOE-tze duh PEE-goo! I've been waiting a long time for someone who can actually get me more than just playing...and I still don't have much feelings for myself."

Kind of nervously, Jayne comments, "you shouldn't beat yourself up so much."

Saffron mutters back, "you know me? Hell, all anyone saw of me is out of a hand of cards! I'm nothing but a snake. Because, however hard I look for feelings in the parts I play...I come up faceless."

She starts to sob. Some tears fall, despite her trying to close it all away with her eyes.

Looking real uneasy now... Jayne asks, "Saffron?"

After a bit, under her now silent tears... Saffron mutters, "sniffle! I don't get it. I lie naked to you, and you're still looking at me like I'm human flesh?"

Sounding much calmer all of a sudden... Jayne answers, "'cause here, you seem to have a ruttin' hell of feelings. I might not like all them. But, most of them look worth seein'."

Saffron faintly laughs, letting her teary eyes start to dry up.

Sounding both amused and solemn... She wonders, "you're always this thoughtful, Jayne?"

Jayne faintly laughs. He reasons, "naw. I'm not really. But, it don't mean I don't love you."

Sounding kind of mixed up... Saffron thinks out loud, "could you leave me? Wait. Don't leave the cabin. I just... Being naked like this... Moderate sigh. I might actually be more than just parts to play, and you don't know how hard it is. Faint uneasy laugh. Hell, Malcolm didn't see me like this."

Jayne firmly gets up from the chair. But, he faintly smirks about it.

Jayne figures, "all right. I'll be in the other room."

Before he gets through the wood door though... He turns back to her.

Jayne gets to thinking out loud, "when you get up..." Saffron asks, "yeah?"

Jayne checks, "you're not going to just kiss me on the mouth and knock me out?"

With a faint amused roll of her eyes... Saffron remarks, "only if you want to play that rough."

Jayne laughs. He comments back, "you got one hell of a mind."

Saffron snarkily adds, "thank you."

Jayne starts to step through the door again.

But... Saffron can't help but ask, "you're not going to call in Mal and get me arrested?"

Jayne insists firmly, "naw. Hell, I brought Vera if you want to go a few rounds..."

Saffron faintly laughs. But, she just as quickly figures, "all right. I know a good shooting range."

Looking all too happy...Jayne concludes, "yeah. Real good range. Soon as you're up, I'm in."

With a faint smile back...Saffron figures, "thanks."

Jayne figures with a slight shrug, "least we can do."

He then goes to the other room, closing the door behind him.

Saffron keeps faintly smiling in bed as she starts to slowly but surely fall asleep.

The sun starts coming down from high noon...as day slowly but surely gives way to nightfall.

That night, circling around Verbena...

With Verbena the most terraformed Border planet due to commercial interests, Verbena's moons only got atmospheres. The Alliance saw the moons as a failure, and so they stripped away most Verbena companies of all their credits and left them with tax credits to make up as punishment.

After Unification Day, neither side seemed to really care about the two moons. Only soldiers that wanted to get away from it all and their families seemed to be drawn to them. The moons soon became retirement home moons with very comfortable living: One for The Alliance, one for the Browncoats.

Neon lit signs with black and red Chinese characters written on them line the moon dust roads. Moon rock crafted houses done up like wooden houses are scattered and many against the starry sky.

And, in one moon rock crafted house... There's Mal: Sitting in a reddish wood chair...with his feet up on the table by a glass, and a bottle of half drunk alcohol in hand.

Across from him is Private Everton Declan in a reddish wood chair. He has medium brown hair.

Last they spoke, they were soon sent to different brigades in the Unification War.

When some missile shrapnel hit him hard, Private Declan lost most feeling in his left arm and his left leg. Now he can barely walk and reach: With motorized solid metallic bar frames and adaptive motion sensors, electronically operated metal locking clamps with black padding for his arm and leg, a stark black power pack, and a simple on/off switch in a bar in the front.

With a calm yet withdrawn voice... Private Declan concludes, "god, Mal. With all you're drinking, I could close my eyes and swear you lost a woman."

With a small hiccup... Mal puts down the bottle. But, not before filling up the cocktail like glass.

He figures solemnly, "we all lost good folk, Everton. Some of us got out. Granted, living for some after the war is more challenging. Okay: For a lot, in all kinds of the word. But, a chance to catch The Alliance all manner of stupid? I kind of look forward to that kind of challenge."

On the last part, Mal smirks. He drinks from the glass.

With a sharp smirk... Private Declan reflects, "you know...you're coming to be kind of legendary. On the ranch, you were always the smartest: Right next to your momma. Most all your brothers and sisters was jealous, but not badly. If it weren't not for the shrapnel, we could have caused all kinds of trouble for The Alliance: You and me."

With a faint smile... Mal faintly remarks, "yeah. That'd be shiny. 'cept that's why we got into the war to start, and I got to walk away with a ship and a crew. No offense."

Private Declan assures him, "I'm not. Interesting what a little Alliance shrapnel can change."

Mal figures, "I ain't. I'm more of flying in the present: Not what I got no hope of changing."

Private Declan shakes his head, faintly laughing a little.

He points out, "no. I know you better. The girls, the cattle, the broken arms we got detention for... We both want to be back at Shadow. Deep sigh. Only thing keeping us from going back is it's uninhabitable: Courtesy of Alliance politics crap."

Mal solemnly nods at that.

With a faint smile...he reflects, "yeah. But, going back farther...those were the days. One time, we were too drunk to care where our dates ended. That was with Jennis, by the ring toss after most the folk gone home. Faint chuckle. Yeah. That wasn't a good hung."

Private Declan faintly remarks, "speak for yourself. I got more than hung come the morning."

They both faintly laugh.

After a bit... Mal reflects, "fair enough. You know... We celebrated the foundin' of Shadow with a fair every year. Then after the war, The Alliance tried to outlaw our quaint celebration. Said it was a little against unification spirit. Guess though we got enough good folk not listening. Not exactly all legal. But, out on other ships... I'm sure there's folk like us: Celebrating more quiet like. And, I'm kind of wondering 'bout something related. You ever see any other folk from Shadow?"

Private Declan figures solemnly, "no. Can't say I have."

Mal figures, "too bad. I kind of liked the idea of seeing family again."

Private Declan concludes, "we are. Might had taken you years to get off your ship and come out and see me. But, if you ask me, that's plenty." Mal reasons firmly, "yeah. Can't argue with that."

Private Declan gets up. The mobile assistive bars unit hums to life as his legs move a little...sharp pain riding up the bad leg.

He turns reluctant to a scraped up solid metallic Alliance dedicated source box: Shaped and styled like a miniature square altar, with old fashioned antenna at the four corners, three disc slots for computer disks and archival video and music recorded Alli-ray discs, spread out nano speakers, no headphone connector hole, and a wood like TV frame bordered with Alliance colors coming out of the top.

He pauses a little. Then, he slightly turns over to Mal.

Mal asks kind of confused, "what is it?"

Private Declan suggests, "I know we don't care much for The Alliance. But, with the fair on Verbena... Faint laugh. Maybe we can catch The Alliance doing something all manner of stupid. Only good 'bout the source box is it records 'bout anything."

Sounding kind of amused... Mal figures, "perhaps it's worth watching then."

Private Declan faintly laughs. He tells him, "thought you'd think so. I'm going out back: To make sure the wave signal to the Cortex is good."

Mal firmly nods.

Private Declan slowly but surely opens the back door by the black lined stark white kitchen area.

Mal is still sitting in the chair...just looking to the black of the screen and hoping for a spectacle.

* * *

 _Act III_

Around then, on Verbena...

Faint coal painted game booths with faint dark purple and yellow swirls. Posters of blurred faces of The Alliance and Browncoats with no flags. Border folk, Companions, and Companion and Alliance police officers in purplish and yellowish gray meander and take in the festivities, talking among themselves.

It's a tent filled wonderland of Verbena decorated lights, games, and beekeepers in yellowish white beekeeping garments showing bee dances through glass crafted transparent bee farms on wheels.

Outside, in the center of it all... The night is not so young. There's a big wood stage covered in white tarp with many a pulley to lift it. And several Alliance wavecasters are on hand, with black Alliance dedicated source boxes ready to broadcast the big reveal. All wavecasters do is set up: No reporting or extra commentary allowed.

Back under the tents... Kaylee is in a white laced lemon frosting like skirt, and she doesn't still have grease on her forehead.

She's holding a coil shaped cotton candy on a yellow and black striped stick, walking side by side with Inara and Simon laughing and talking. River is joyfully buzzing around not far away, quick twirling on her tippy toes with her arms out like bee wings still in time.

Kaylee is cheerfully adding, "looks like River is enjoying herself."

Sounding a little embarrassed... Inara figures, "maybe. Faint chuckle. I'm glad she's enjoying herself. But, if I knew, I would've told you Simon. Probably was meant to be a surprise for everyone."

Kind of nervously, Simon admits, "no. It's ok. Faint sigh. Okay. I was hoping to see them with River with a lot less feds. But, I'm happy she's enjoying herself."

More calmly, and with a faint smile... Inara explains, "you're right. But, as a Bodyguard grade Companion, I have similar authority to a Companion federal officer on Verbena. I'll protect you from The Alliance. For once, try not to worry."

Simon says solemnly, "I know. Thank you. It's just... Moderate sigh. I've been so used to worrying about her."

Kaylee is about to reach a sympathetic hand to Simon...when River lightly takes her other hand.

River hands the cotton candy back over to Kaylee with her other hand like it never fell.

And, like a little happy kid... River points over to a game booth, "I want to go toss. Want to go!"

Simon, Inara, and Kaylee can't help but faintly chuckle, completely dissolving the unease.

Looking over to her, and with a smile... Kaylee says, "okay sweetie. Let's go ring toss."

All four of them walk to the game booth: With Kaylee holding River's hand, and Kaylee eating a big chunk of her cotton candy while River shuffle steps on the way.

Around then... Zoe and Wash are sitting on a park bench like bench by some coal black concession stands. They're eating from a yellowish swirled carton of fried curly carrots, pausing now and then to talk and drink some from their glasses of water.

After taking another fried curly carrot... Wash sees Zoe suddenly staring at him.

Almost startled sounding... Wash is saying, "what?! I'm just sayin' that every once in awhile it'd be nice to not have to shoot every single guy that tries to kill us."

Zoe faintly rolls her eyes in amusement.

She adds, "honey...we're in a nasty business. What do we do instead? Get enough Companions on the same ship and hand out party favors? I don't think The Alliance or Niska would take much party favors from us."

Awkwardly... Wash figures, "all right. You got a point. But, let out some of the starch dear. We're at one of the best fairs I've ever been. We could at least enjoy it."

Kind of nervous sounding, Zoe reasons, "it's not just that me and Mal served in the war. With all the Feds here... I haven't not seen a fair where Feds stay around for long without the arrests."

She takes a fried curly carrot. Wash takes another. The fried carrots are more than halfway gone.

With a faint smile...Wash concludes, "yeah. Guess we'll find out. Here's to hoping."

Zoe faintly smiles. They both more slowly eat some more curly fried carrots.

Around then... Simon is content with watching Kaylee have a turn at tossing purple rings, while Inara and a slightly grumpy looking River are talking off to the side. In front of them is the game booth, with a fast spinning yellow ball with lots of long purple sticks.

Kind of uncomfortably... Inara is saying, "I know you don't like his idea. But, if it helps... You're not the only one who can pick up a weapon. I could guide your arm a little."

River faintly smirks. She concludes, "okay. No Alliance taking me away?" Inara says assuringly, "no feds."

After two tries... Kaylee rings a ring very low...hitting the ground and still ringed on the stick.

Kaylee goes, "yes!"

She picks out a firefly plushie from the plushies hanging up. The vendor politely hands it to her.

With a faint smile, Simon adds, "congratulations." With a faint smile, Kaylee nods, "thank you."

She then asks uneasily, "is River okay?"

Before Simon can say anything... Inara and River come back, with Inara assuring them it's ok.

Kaylee tells River good luck. River faintly smiles back to her.

River reluctantly closes her eyes, ring in hand. Inara stands behind her, lightly guiding her arm.

When Inara tells her she can go ahead... River throws the ring.

It bounces hard off the wall...sliding down the big ball before getting ringed on two sticks.

As she opens her eyes... River wonders eagerly, "how did I do?"

The vendor looks stunned. Simon and Kaylee are looking very nervous.

Nervously... Inara quickly says, "she grew up in a Alliance military family. It's a long story."

Inara tells Simon, Kaylee, and River to go ahead. She then bribes the guy with some coin and picks out a plushie for River.

She breathes a heavy sigh of relief, going back to join them carrying a bumblebee plushie.

Around then... Book is walking alongside Lieutenant Quillian: A Companion police officer with some patches of gray in her reddish brown shoulder length hair.

In a kind of deep voice... Lieutenant Quillian wonders, "why are you interested in talking to me? Faint chuckle. Most people that come talk to me are either looking for me as just a Companion or as just a intermediate with The Alliance police."

Book confesses, "you're something of a mystery. I can always appreciate a good mystery and finding where and how it goes."

Quillian pauses.

With a raised eyebrow... She questions, "you sure you're not making moves on me, preacher?"

Quick to answer... Book insists, "mm, no. Living is hard. Finding romance is not on my path. But, I'm respectful there are more than one kind of love."

Quillian and Book start to walk out of a tent: Heading for the big stage, where a crowd is starting to gather.

With a faint smile... Quillian reveals outright, "I'm content with being a Companion. But, I became a federal officer for one reason. The Alliance doesn't want to admit it. But, most of Parliament wants peace across the Verse if it can be helped. If we can keep the peace going on Verbena... You could be looking at the first Alliance fair."

Looking a little teary eyed... Book moderately sighs.

Book adds, "hate and guilt are some of the hardest feelings to live with. I am not sure where Alliance fairs are going to go. But, even keeping that in mind...it is a admirable belief to try to make work."

Quillian concludes solemnly, "thank you. I hope it does."

Not long after...

Around the stage, the tarp is up.

The metal chairs are all full. Book and Lieutenant Quillian are in the front row.

Others in the crowd are kind of uneasily standing by the side of tents: Including Inara, Simon, River, Kaylee, Zoe, and Wash.

Ten Alliance military skiffs are out on the stage: Mostly faint coal black with purplish lined red indicator lights, glowing silver cooler components in their fiberglass crafted backs, and studded metals of varying kinds.

A Alliance military Commander by the name of Tanaka is up there, in a ironed out and polished gray uniform and equally ironed out looking smile. Two Alliance military test pilots are on stage too, waving a lot and smiling.

A large banner in red, white, and blue hangs above the Alliance military skiffs. It says in big white letters:

The Alliance rewards those who always reward Others before Themselves.

Uneasy murmurs and cheers fill the crowd. And, over source boxes across the Cortex...the wavecasters are broadcasting it all.

Commander Tanaka announces confidently, "thanks to the good people of Verbena, working day after day in our new military factory... We proudly present to you the next generation of Alliance military skiffs. Long range metal detectors, Alliance scanners with a range of 40 ft, the latest in cooling systems, and armored with bulletproof metals. All of this...is ready ten days ahead of schedule. And, we're testing them right here at this fair."

Some more cheers and plenty of claps are heard in the crowd.

Commander Tanaka continues, "when Verbena was first terraformed...there was scarcity in credits. There was discomfort and fear. The moons had been barely more than pieces of barren rock before they became some of the most outstanding retirement homes in the Verse. But now, with these remarkable Alliance skiffs, there won't be anymore unaccountability or unnecessary deaths. Justice will be seen through. And, through these Alliance skiffs, you and your families will be able to help The Alliance give everyone in the Verse full and satisfying lives."

Even some people wearing brown coats can't help but faintly smile at the craft taken to make them. The claps are tremendous.

Then...Book notices someone in a brown coat: Trying to pull out a gun.

Without a second thought... He runs after him to try to tackle him first.

But, before Lieutenant Quillian or anyone else can react... The Alliance Skiffs blow up.

A huge fireball goes into the sky...burning up the banner. Screams from the dying pilots chill the night.

Commander Tanaka is knocked off his feet, landing violently against the ground with a violent groan.

Shards of metal, fiberglass, and wreckage are strewn at the crowd.

They run screaming like hell to get plenty of buckets of water or dive for cover.

Some dark red liquid splatter on the ground. Screams from fallen burning bodies.

By the tents... The force of the explosion knocks them to the ground.

Inara, River, Simon, Kaylee, Wash, Zoe... They're all knocked back into the tearing down tents.

Sparks of fire start lighting up the tents. The faint coal game booths seem to blacken before the might of the flames.

The Companion police officers and Alliance police officers fall back to access the situation, sonic rifles ready.

And, across every TV frame for Alliance dedicated source boxes... The very faint goldish almost watery holographic screens are showing the live wave of the chaotic fireball of horror that has sprouted forth.

Back on a certain Verbena moon...

Mal has begrudgingly got up and bent over to the source box to zoom in on the screen, hoping he's wrong in a assumption.

But, when it zooms in... He sees most of his crew knocked back into the starting to burn tents.

Then...the wave cuts off.

A chill runs through him. He starts getting teary eyed.

And, with a very nervous gulp... He pulls out his modified two way radio.

He doesn't know if Inara was among them. But, he turns on the two way radio anyway.

He patches a wave to Serenity directly.

Again and again... Mal calls out over it, "Inara? What the gorram hell is going on?! Inara! !"


	3. S1, Ep 14: Dead or Alive, Part 2

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Dead or Alive, Part 2:

 _Act IV_

He patches a wave to Serenity directly.

Again and again... Mal calls out over it, "Inara? What the gorram hell is going on?! Inara! !"

Private Declan has recently come in.

He kind of rushes in...with the bars of the mobile assistive bars unit like a cold pendulum as it hums in the back of his mind and the sharp pain kicks up a notch.

He catches himself by the kitchen counter.

Kind of out of breath... Private Declan starts to wonder, "what?! What did I...?"

As Private Declan turns sharply to him...he then sees Mal's face. A faint tear is there.

Private Declan's annoyance vanishes altogether.

He takes a deep breath.

Sounding very uneasy... He questions, "Mal...what in god's name has got you all worked up?"

Mal briefly turns back to the TV frame, only to see it's still with a lost holographic screen.

He nervously gulps a little, still holding the two way radio in one hand.

After a bit... Mal answers him, "Everton, this is my crew. I don't gěi gǒu pìgu 'bout The Alliance. But, that's my crew in that fire!"

Grumpily, Private Declan mutters back, "well tee wuh duh pee-goo Mal: I only walk in and out so fast on these gorram unificated bars!"

Even so... That gets a faint uneasy chuckle out of Mal and him.

Around then, back on Verbena...

Bits of ash and debris rain down in fire and burning tent sheets.

Smoke all around. Violent coughing. Fading out screams and passing out thuds.

But, amidst the smoke and fire... A arm tears through the tent with great ease.

River crawls out from under...making out more than smoke under the holding center of the tent.

She's quick to get to her feet.

She's ignoring some of her violent coughing from the smoke while still holding her half burnt bumblebee plushie in her other arm. Her vision hasn't seemed to even waver yet.

But, with a massive headache...the voices in her head sure aren't helping.

The center of the tent is starting to burn.

Flames are running up the Verbena bushes. Heat is rushing over the unsuspecting bees in the transparent bee farms.

With the buzzing of the bees... River's voices seem to fade off.

But, that's not all that has caught her attention that fades the voices off.

For, by the very center...there's several unburnt concession stands.

With a bright smile... River runs to them.

She picks up some burnt rings from the ground. She keeps running.

River puts down the plushie on one of the concession stands, freeing both hands.

In just seconds, she carts over some of the wheeled concession stands around to face her.

She gets in the middle of them. And then...she takes aim with the two rings.

Some branches burn down to the ground. The tent's center is coming down.

But, just as quickly... Two by two... The rings bounce off the back of the concession stands...fast and hard from one glass water tank to another.

And, River says to herself, "purple elephants are flying now."

The tanks burst open...unleashing gallons of water across the tent.

The transparent bee farms are knocked up on their sides, tumbling on the ground.

River tries to outrun the water.

But...even she is knocked to the ground.

She falls unconscious on her side.

But, as she does...

She can hear happy buzzing. She can faintly hear steady breathing. And, she faintly smiles.

A hour or so later...

By some parted Verbena bushes... There's some propped up tents: Set up a few hours ago.

Aside from a nasty bruise on the side of his head, Book seems no worse for wear. But, his prayers tell a different tale.

Along a eerily silent bend of dirt path... Book prays over the dead body of a elderly man.

A crowd of folk is gathered near, bent over in prayer too.

Book pulls the sheet over the elderly man's head. Then, he moves on to the next body. There's a long row of them on white sheeted stretchers, stretching out from one dirt path to another.

A patrol of fourteen Companion police officers and Alliance police officers are gathered outside the tents, armed with sonic rifles ready if necessary for stopping another bombing.

Inside the tents... There's white sheeted stretchers with a lot of critically injured people. There's monitoring equipment: The best The Alliance can buy.

Doctor, patient... Their clothes are dirty, dripped with dark red liquid. Ash soot is everywhere.

Simon has a nasty bruise on the back of his head. But, he's gotten the doctors to get him some medication from his medical bag for the high dizziness and mild nausea.

And, after a half hour with otherwise no complications... He convinced them he can help.

Simon is currently bandaging a drooping over woman around a burnt chest wound. Dark red liquid from the wound is seeping into the heavy duty bandages as he bandages it up with a pack of ice.

A Doctor grade Companion with short black hair, a Alliance doctor with medium black hair, and a Doctor grade Companion with medium curly dark blond hair are also in this tent: Seeing to the critically injured.

With help from administering rounds of Moxoceline B... They and several other doctors in the tents are extracting shards of metal and fiberglass without most of their patients feeling much a thing.

But, some shards are more curved...which can be a delicate and time consuming procedure.

Many patients have fallen unconscious with first degree and second degree burns, drooping over and breathing through respirators.

In a second tent... Zoe and Wash have recently come to. But, the doctors are too busy seeing to the critically injured at the moment to realize it.

Finding he's not seriously injured much... Wash turns over on his side with a moderate groan.

Facing Zoe... He is quick to ask, "what the hell just happened?! Why are we...?"

With a sympathetic hand on his, Zoe gets him to relax a little.

Without a second thought...Zoe figures, "Concussion bomb. Probably tied into the skiffs's gas or under the stage. Planet side remote trigger."

Wash moderately sighs. He reasons, "probably. It looks like you were right. But, that doesn't really make me feel any better."

Zoe admits solemnly, "me neither. When we're sure on our feet again, we should get off Verbena and check on Jayne and Mal."

Wash concludes, "yeah. Wherever Mal is, I hope they're doing better with our getting rich."

Zoe adds, "so do I, Wash. More curly carrots and one locked up for good Saffron. Now there's a bright side we can count on."

Wash and Zoe faintly smile at that thought.

Outside, by the fair grounds...

Most folks aren't sticking around here for long. They're making off with whatever they can recover in pairs and carrying them by hand to bring back to their cabins planet side.

Inara looks to the decimated burnt down tents and stage.

Some tears fall from her face.

She sniffles hard, struggling to keep it together within sight of the folks around.

There's so many shards of fair game booths and Alliance skiff parts. So many dead bodies taken away...and yet so many still on the ground of young children and teenagers.

A elderly farmer is on the ground, hugging his dead wife and silently sobbing to himself.

Inara closes her eyes. She can't take it anymore.

She was hoping someone would want to come to her: Someone she could help as a Companion. But, all it's done is gravely remind her that any chance of that tonight has gone up with the explosion.

She fast walks back for one of the triage tents.

Getting worried, Inara checks, "how is Kaylee?"

With a sympathetic hand on hers... A Doctor grade Companion there answers, "she'll be ok, Inara. Faint chuckle."

Inara reasons uneasily, "you know, that doesn't sound very assuring."

The Doctor grade Companion leads her to Kaylee, lying on a stretcher.

She seems to be sleeping soundly: Even with a nasty bruise in her side and some stitches where there was a metal shard stuck in her other shoulder.

The Doctor grade Companion uncovers a purple swirled blanket...from Kaylee's firefly plushie.

It has some metal shards sticking out. Torn up stuffing is all over.

Inara checks her vitals.

She faintly smiles to herself, knowing her pulse is steady.

The Doctor grade Companion points out, "it looks like the plushie got the worst of it. We don't know how it happened to. But, she's going to make it. Even the plushie can be easy to fèng."

Inara faintly nods, "thank you."

She sounds kind of puzzled. But, she does sound relieved.

The Doctor grade Companion moves on to other patients.

With a little startle... Kaylee then comes to.

Beamingly... She says, "Inara."

Teary eyed in very mixed relief... Inara faintly smiles back. She says, "Kaylee."

She hugs her close. Kaylee hugs her back.

After a bit, they then pull away.

Uncertainly, Kaylee wonders, "I'm happy to see you too. But...what happened while I was out?"

Inara breaks the news to her, "a bomb went off. Hundreds are dead. We're fortunate to be alive."

Kaylee gets teary eyed.

She asks, "who would do such a horrible thing?"

With a assuring hand on hers... Inara figures, "we don't know. But, Lieutenant Quillian and the other federal officers are looking into it."

Around then, back in a certain tent...

River comes to on a stretcher.

She's faintly smiling to herself in mixed amusement over the discovery Inara made, which she catches from Inara's mind.

Simon thanks the Doctor grade Companion with short black hair. She's cleaning both of their tools quick so they can go onto the next patients with first and second degree burns being brought in.

She pauses a bit to faintly nod with a faint smile.

The Doctor grade Companion with medium curly dark blond hair is about to call Simon over to River...when the Alliance doctor comes back in with two Alliance police officers carrying a stretcher.

A faintly familiar looking officer is lying unconscious under a dark red liquid soaked sheet.

The Alliance Doctor calls out to Simon, "Doctor! Over here."

Very uneasily... Simon goes over to the already being set down stretcher.

Simon is quick to realize, "Commander Tanaka. I thought I had already...!"

The Alliance Doctor points out, "you did. But, when we tried to extract some fragments... Heavy sigh. It caused internal bleeding when small fragments moved up his bloodstream. We fired the doctor responsible."

Simon starts to mutter under his breath, "son of a..."

He sighs kind of nervously, realizing what kind of officers he's around right now.

He figures, "all right. I'll get started."

Coldly, the Alliance Doctor mutters, "good. Don't be like the last one."

Simon mutters back, "yes. Thank you."

He's already prepping some monitoring equipment for Commander Tanaka, beginning to isolate where the shards are exactly in the bloodstream on the monitor.

With a sympathetic hand on hers... The second Doctor grade Companion tries to assure River, "it'll be ok. You're among friends here."

With a very faint smile... River firmly says, "I know. I know I am."

Meanwhile...

Lieutenant Quillian is walking down a dirt path, coming around a town square lined by cabins.

Most of the folk are turning in for the night because it's that late.

But...their angry mutterings and faint tears are so close to being a mob. And, Lieutenant Quillian nervously does her best to look away as she continues on her way.

A torn brown coat is on the ground, covered in red paint. Some little Alliance flags are scattered.

On the torn up brown coat... It says, "gorram browncoats. There will be blood."

Lieutenant Quillian can't help but look at it.

She puts on some white gloves.

A tear falls from her face.

She takes the brown coat, carrying it in her gloved hands on her way.

After passing through a few more grim looking towns... She comes up to a cabin.

With a free hand, she opens the door. She goes in.

The cabin turns out to be a police office among several: One for each town.

A grayish white Alliance forensics holo-scanner is in one room, taking up the whole ceiling. It's shining bright light over the remnants of a badge, two brown coats, and one dead body in one of the brown coats: All of which are on the metal floor.

Lieutenant Quillian places the brown coat in her hands in a wooden evidence bucket off to the side of the door. She then places the gloves on a lieutenant's desk to be cleaned in the morning, like they usually are for The Alliance's forensics until they give out.

A small metal barred cell for one inmate is in the corner. A handcuffed man with skeevy looking medium blond hair is lying on the cold grated metal bed, sleeping and down to a black undershirt.

He looks like he was beaten up recently after the cuffs came on.

As she starts to sit down... Lieutenant Quillian politely says, "Lieutenant Grayson."

The lieutenant sitting at the desk politely says back, "Lieutenant Quillian."

His eyes are piercing. He has medium frontless black hair.

Looking on edge as she often does with him... Lieutenant Quillian is in a wood chair facing him.

Lieutenant Quillian inquires, "what about our bounty hunters?"

A black and white picture is on his gray computer monitor. It's of a skeevy looking medium black haired man in a brown coat named Mather: Nicknamed The Grunter Shock. His favorite weapon was a electrically charged crossbow: Black market issue, and known for causing permanent seizures or instant death more often than not.

He was known across the Verse for being paid off for shocking murders. But, the computer classifies him as deceased: In big gray letters, bordered around by the colors of The Alliance.

Lieutenant Grayson moderately sighs. He answers, "the same one who was about to pull a gun? He was killed in the explosion. We interrogated his partner Jonah. But, he was far from cooperative."

Lieutenant Quillian observes, "I can see that as soon as I came in."

Lieutenant Grayson mutters lowly, "we beat on the gorram bounty hunter, and he was still laughing! He kept going on about how sticks of dynamite would look up our buttholes."

Surprisingly light... Lieutenant Quillian comments, "and why are you mad over a gorram bounty hunter? You couldn't keep peace with him. Faint laugh. Far as I'm concerned, you can keep him locked up until the rats get to him."

With a very faint smile... Lieutenant Grayson comments back, "I just want to see justice done: Which is the only thing we agree on, lieutenant."

Looking back on edge... Lieutenant Quillian mutters, "yeah. So let's get to business. What about that first forensic holo-scan?"

With some contempt... Lieutenant Grayson answers, "we found where the remote trigger signal came from. I just know you're not going to like it, which means more of your "little" annoyances."

Lieutenant Quillian is quick to point out, "it will either way."

Lieutenant Grayson reveals, "we holographically reconstructed the remote trigger from the wreckage and narrowed down the range. The signal was traced back to one of our shuttles...in the Verbena sub-system off of Verbena. You know what that means."

Lieutenant Quillian comments, "you're right. I don't like it."

With a sharp glare... She adds, "this is going to add more fuel to the fire, and you know it."

Lieutenant Grayson reasons, "I'll take two teams and go to the retirement homes: Both with Companion federal officers and Alliance federal officers. We'll say we're searching for a third bounty hunter until we know the truth. Is that enough for you, lieutenant?"

Lieutenant Quillian's glare softens a little.

She concludes, "I got a bad feeling about this. But, it's a hopeful start."

Lieutenant Grayson gets out of the chair.

He figures, "then it's time I start off."

He starts out, getting out his sonic rifle from a big desk drawer.

Lieutenant Quillian very faintly smiles to herself.

She's checking if her sonic rifle is loaded with charges before heading out herself.

Not very long after...

Back in the first tent... Commander Tanaka is awake and ranting like mad, even with being kind of short of breath and very pale from the loss of blood.

Commander Tanaka rants, "then get me someone who will! Get Lieutenant Grayson, gorramit!"

With nervousness... A Alliance police officer tries to explain, "but Grayson has just gone with a team to check the Browncoat retirement homes. He can't be gotten yet. Alliance orders, commander!"

Commander Tanaka rants on, "gorram Browncoats. We should have bombed them when we had the chance! Gorramit, we should've wiped them out after the war before they bombed us back!"

He doesn't even notice the Alliance police officer leaving the tent to go get back the Alliance doctor in a hurry to try to get him to calm down.

Serenity's cargo ramp is open.

Book, Simon, and Inara are heading for the ramp. Wash and Zoe are already in.

River and Kaylee are also heading in, carrying their plushies under their arms.

Simon pauses.

Book checks, "you all right, son?"

Uneasily... Simon brings up, "not really. I saved a psychotic commander from death who would turn me and River in soon as he could."

Book considers, "you were willing to save a dying man that might not be innocent. That makes you a better man."

Sounding a little better... Simon says, "you're right. I...I just hope it's not the last."

Book points out, "that's living, son. That's just living."

With a uneasy laugh... Simon adds, "I'm sorry. That doesn't really help. But, thank you."

Book puts a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. Then, he solemnly walks on the ramp ahead.

Teary eyed... River mumbles cryptically to herself, "not bee. Stinger. A mad prince in brown."

Trying not to have River think about death... Kaylee wonders, "what about your bumblebee?"

With a faint chuckle... River faintly remarks, "it'll be ok. It looks a little better in red."

More solemnly... Kaylee admits, "well, I hope this doesn't turn to more fighting. Faint sniffle. The Browncoats already had one big fight."

River comments sadly, "they're not better in washing up red." Kaylee adds, "true."

Reading Kaylee's sadness...River is quick to change the subject herself.

Just to check... River asks Inara, "the bees?"

Inara pauses, turning to her.

She faintly smiles. And, she tells River, "miraculously ok. Some water tanks were hit by the fire first. Everyone hurried with the water with the other tents and got all the bees out."

Kaylee very faintly smiles. She says, "that's one little miracle all right."

And, faintly smiling knowingly in River's direction... Simon interjects, "yes. It is a miracle."

River, Kaylee, Simon, and Inara faintly smile to each other.

Soon, all of them walk into Serenity...with the ramp closing behind them.

Meanwhile, back on a certain Verbena moon...

Mal is finishing packing up some canned rations and fruit in a sack. He's got his loaded shotgun on his holster and his two way radio down in the sack.

There's footsteps. There's soon a hard knock.

On the other end... Lieutenant Grayson calls out, "we don't want any trouble, Everton Declan! We're just looking for a bounty hunter that might have stowed away in your house."

Determinedly... Private Declan calls back, "gorram feds! You'll never shoot my good side!"

Without question... He and Mal are fast walking for the back.

A sonic blast crumples the door to rubble.

Mal mutters to himself, "uh-huh. Gorram feds."

Mal puts down the sack to draw out his Winchester 1300 shotgun.

He shoots out the left on Alliance dedicated source box.

It explodes in smoke and little fires. It sets off the sprinklers.

And, much to their frustration... Lieutenant Grayson's team find their sonic rifles shorted out when they try to fire again.

One of the officers mutters under his breath, "yen guo duh hwai dan!"

Past the smoke...Mal faintly chuckles to himself.

He puts away his shotgun and quickly grabs up the sack. He runs for the left open back door.

Out back, just by a moon crater... Private Declan's rustic brownish gray shuttle from the Unification War days is sputtering and humming to life.

Private Declan urges to him, "come on, Sergeant. Come on!"

Mal firmly nods.

He runs in through the closing shuttle door. The shuttle's engines start flaring up.

And, just when Lieutenant Grayson's team has come out...the shuttle takes off.

Mal leaves the sack in the back of the shuttle.

After catching his breath a little... He goes over to strap himself in in the co-pilot seat.

Mal checks, "did you find our man?"

Private Declan reports, "he'll be at the central factory tomorrow at 2100 with enough grenades to get your crew out of federal custody. He said it weren't advisable now. Aside from some bruises, they're all expected to be ok come morning. At least, that's what he said over the Cortex to tell you. But, by then, they'll be aiming to take them into custody. God, I hate The Alliance."

With a hint of nervousness in his voice... Mal concludes, "yeah. On another hand...they're sure not looking to hurt them if they don't got to. That buys us some mighty fancible time."

He's planning a flightpath on the acetate sheet tinted floor plan like readouts of black, red, and brown.

Mal supposes, "we touch down on a forest in Verbena. No way in hell they'll search for us two there at this time of night. Even the Alliance has to sleep."

Sounding a little better... Private Declan faintly remarks, "good. It'll be like the old days."

Mal admits, "I kind of wish it weren't. But, at least I have you to cover me Everton."

Private Declan insists, "no problem, Sergeant. You'd do the same for me."

With a firm smile, Mal concludes, "I reckon you're right."

The shuttle starts circling around the darker side of the planet Verbena, disappearing behind it.

Around then, back on Serenity...

Shaken... Inara is in the co-pilot's seat. She's going over Mal's message:

Inara? What the gorram hell is going on?! Inara! !

She stops the message with the press of a button when she hears footsteps.

But, when Zoe and Wash come in, she still looks shaken.

Zoe is quick to ask, "are we interrupting? You look like you've just walked through hell."

Wash adds, "well honey, we've all been. What matters is we're still living."

Zoe whispers to him, "Wash baby, maybe now ain't the time to..."

Inara faintly smiles, trying to be assuring. But, her eyes are teary.

With a quick answer...Inara says, "does the name Private Everton Declan sound familiar to you?"

With a faint chill down her spine... Zoe realizes, "yeah. It does. He and Mal grew up together on Shadow. Faint chuckle. Was even trying to get on the same battalion in the war...'cept Everton was so by the book that he wouldn't take a piss or tie his shoes without being told he could."

Inara and Wash can't help but faintly chuckle at that.

After a awkward bit though... Inara admits, "well, Zoe... Deep sigh. I'm sorry to tell you this. But, he's wanted dead or alive by The Alliance."

There's a brief uncomfortable silence.

Then... Wash speaks up, "wait a minute guys. What's the big deal? We just reach Mal and Jayne on the Cortex and we go rabbiting: Have Mal get his own bearings."

Zoe sharply concludes, "Mal or Everton would do the same for me, Wash. I'm staying."

Wash mutters under his breath, "ohh, kwong-juh duh. We were about ready to get off this planet. But, ok: The hell with me!"

He waves up his arms with the last part.

Inara tries to apologize, "I'm sorry, Wash."

Wash starts storming out. But, he just as quickly turns around.

Kind of lightly... Wash insists, "no, it's okay. I'll get over it. Walking through hell, right?"

Kind of sarcastically, Zoe comments, "yeah. Thanks, Wash." Wash adds, "anytime, Zoe."

He noisily walks down the steps and down the hall.

Inara looks faintly amused. Zoe just faint shakes her head, looking even more amused.

Late in the morning, on Bellerophron...

The sun shines over the Bellerophron sea.

But, even over Bellerophron, it has its fair share of shooting galleries: Not all holographic either.

Only the red, white, and yellow striped bullseyes and the moving targets are.

Several gray lantern styled plazas are on their own hovering island. Barely a tree to be seen.

Inside... There's wooden crates and wooden screens in between. There's rich folk in all black or all gray, bringing in their most prized guns.

They're popular with the teenage sons of rich men. Sometimes they even bring their daughters.

And, inside one of these plazas... There's Saffron and Jayne.

Jayne is wearing his clothes from earlier. Saffron has on a open near white bluish leather jacket over cloudy white, a near white bluish pair of five inch high heels on a feeling all her own, a goldish chained amulet with a central white sun of the Verse, and dark blue jeans.

Saffron is shooting off some rounds with Vera. Yet, the gold bullet like things in the back of Vera seem to be missing.

Against the stark gray wall with a painted on rocky hill... She shoots off one...three...five... Then nine of ten whizzing by holographic army men in crumply trashbag uniforms and brown coats.

The hit ones ding and seem to evaporate in water. The last just wavers off.

Jayne smiles brightly. Saffron faintly smiles back as she hands him back Vera.

Tilting her head slightly up... Saffron then points out, "you know, you kind of smell."

Sounding off put, Jayne exclaims, "aw, give me a rutting break! I've been on watch on the ship for three nights. 'sides, I thought you liked men going all heroic."

She faintly rolls her eyes.

She then tilts her head back to look straight at him, with a smile with closed lips.

Sounding both amused and not... Saffron explains, "I said you don't know how hard it is for me to see myself as more than just playing parts. A bath wouldn't kill you. But, you're all right."

Sounding a little confused... Jayne just adds, "thanks."

Saffron just adds, "sure."

He shoots off the last round himself.

Against the stark gray wall with the rocky hill... He shoots off two...five...seven... Then eight of ten whizzing by holographic army men in crumply trashbag like uniforms and browncoats.

The hit ones ding and seem to evaporate in water. The other two just waver off.

Jayne grins to himself. But, this time, Saffron has a more blank expression.

Jayne puts away Vera.

They start walking off together down a turn in a very dark gray hall...when he pauses.

He outright asks her, "what you looking at me like that for?"

With a raised eyebrow... Saffron observes, "I might have had short visits to Serenity. But, I know you're missing part of Vera. Care to tell your girlfriend?"

Kind of awkwardly brushing it off... Jayne figures, "well... Faint laugh. They're magnetic latch custom grenades. I can load them in the mounted grenade launcher. Originally came with Vera. They got a ruttin' ton of flash and acid. But, I figured I got no need so far to use them none."

With a wide grin... Saffron comments, "impressive."

All too confidently... Jayne goes, "damn right I am."

Saffron faintly laughs. She figures, "too bad you figured you had no need to get them out. We could of burn off a lot of safes with that kind of ammo and grab millions for ourselves easy."

With a smirk... Jayne figures, "well, when you put it that way...that is sure a tempting job."

Saffron adds, "yes. It is."

She goes to pull him closer, pressing her lips together more as she does.

Kind of taken off guard... Jayne almost shoves her off.

Even in high heels though... Saffron stands her ground: Kicking off the wall with one leg and quickly coming back down.

Looking stunned...Saffron mutters, "BUN tyen-shung duh ee-DWAY-RO! You never were kissed before?"

After a awkward silent minute... Jayne heavily sighs, letting his grip on her go.

With mixed feelings... Jayne explains, "I have: Just not on the mouth. Before you, I knew of narcotic and psychotic. Thought that was damn obvious with your first time on the ship. But..."

Saffron breathes a heavy sigh of relief. She looks a little teary.

Before he can say more... Saffron speaks up, "Jayne...I'm sorry. It was too short of a stay for me to know. And me... I'm very determined. You know that. But..."

Jayne asks, "yeah?"

With a creepy kind of sympathetic hand on his... Saffron admits, "I might really be into that kind of kissing. But, I have a few ideas you might like. I know what you're asking yourself: Am I going to knock you out? No. 'cause even if you try to kill me, knocking you out is the last thing on my mind."

Saffron reflects, "hell, I was playing the part of that I might still love Durran just so I could get to more of his priceless artifacts later. Faint laugh. Too bad Malcolm got in the way of that and I had to settle on dumping him in the desert naked."

Though, at the last part...she faintly grins like a peeping schoolgirl.

Not sure of what to say much with it all... Jayne just smiles in a creepy kind of mixed relief.

Saffron widely grins back at him.

Then... Saffron and Jayne walk outside...holding hands almost like nothing happened in the hall.

Around this time, in a town square on Verbena...

A crowd of angry and confused folk are watching from the side lines. In the square is Commander Tanaka, Lieutenant Grayson, Lieutenant Quillian, several Companion police officers, and several Alliance police officers: All armed and ready with sonic rifles.

Lieutenant Grayson is holding the mostly burnt off Companion badge found from the wreckage last night. Book is standing not far from him and Lieutenant Quillian.

Book comments cuttingly, "always thought you needed a little more evidence than a badge and the kind of business someone is in to make a arrest."

With a heated glare... Commander Tanaka calls, "you keep out of this, gorram preacher!"

Lieutenant Quillian heavily sighs.

There's a cold silence. But, angry mutters from the sidelines come just as quick.

Trying to keep calm herself... Lieutenant Quillian figures, "zhè tài fēngkuángle, lieutenant! Check me first and then I'll check the other Companion federal officers myself. I don't exactly like that plan either. But, it shouldn't not be that hard to clear with The Alliance."

Lieutenant Grayson heavily sighs.

With some reluctance...he says, "sorry, lieutenant. We can't take a chance of another bomb going off. I'm sure even you can respect that. We're bringing you all in for questioning: Alliance orders."

Lieutenant Quillian sharply glares at him. Commander Tanaka looks all too happy with this.

Incredulously... One of the Companion police officers calls out, "not take any chances? Our word isn't good enough now for you Alliance feds?!"

Angry mutters are escalating. Several folk from the crowd start drawing out brown shotguns.

Angrily... One of them calls out, "murderous Independents!"

Lieutenant Grayson calls out, "settle down, or we will have no choice but to open fire!"

Then... The first shots go off.

* * *

 _Act V_

A dust cloud of madness. Screams.

Most of the crowd runs like hell to get out of the way.

And, from the crowd... Inara is rushing right past them, heading for the center.

Some more Alliance police officers come charging in, readying their sonic rifles to fire.

With a very low choo... Lieutenant Quillian is shot at by Commander Tanaka.

But, she side steps quick enough out of the way of the sonic wave.

Then... Commander Tanaka is shot dead by one of the folk in the crowd, with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

A Companion police officer tackles Lieutenant Grayson to the ground, wrestling over his sonic rifle.

With a piercing glare... Lieutenant Grayson kicks her violently off.

At the same time, with a very low choo...he fires his sonic rifle.

The Companion police officer goes flying...landing violently against the rocky dust covered ground with a violent groan. Hints of dark red liquid are there.

With some very low choos... Some of the companion police officers stun back some of the Alliance police officers with sonic waves.

They're quick to punch them out before they can get up.

Book ducks for cover behind a cabin, getting out a mostly silvery long tipped gun.

Several very low choos barely hits the cabin wall. It vibrates quite a bit, but stays intact.

A Companion officer is knocked back stunned.

From a cabin porch... A Alliance police officer shoots right at Lieutenant Quillian.

Inara jump tackles Lieutenant Quillian on the ground.

And, with a very low choo... The sonic wave passes over them.

With some relief... Lieutenant Quillian says, "thanks."

Sounding uneasy... Inara concludes, "it's the least I could do for a fellow Companion."

Lieutenant Quillian faintly smiles and nods to her.

Then, coming from behind the same cabin... Zoe is run charging in by surprise.

She shoots off her custom Winchester Model 1892 rifle with a loud bang at the Alliance police officer as she passes him.

He falls dead...crashing into a splintering to pieces edge of porch.

And, with some more loud bangs...Zoe shoots dead most of the Alliance police officers.

One of them has just fired back with a very low choo. But, Zoe outruns it.

She's catching her breath, taking cover behind a corner of a wooden storefront.

With some loud choos... Some folk with shotguns fire at two Companion officers.

One falls dead.

One of them tumbles out of the way of the shot. She fires back with her sonic rifle...knocking those folk back with a very low choo and a sonic wave.

Some folk in brown coats with shotguns go to shoot the same folk down.

But, some Companion officers call out, "they're already down! Stand down!"

They reluctantly stand down, falling back from the square.

A Alliance police officer tries to come up behind Zoe.

But, Zoe turns around quick...shooting him dead with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

After being shot down by a sonic wave... Lieutenant Grayson barely gets up, coughing hard and clutching his heavily bruised side.

Having lost his sonic rifle... He runs off to report this to The Alliance.

Book fires his gun at the few remaining incoming Alliance police officers...hitting them in the legs below the knee.

They're down, clutching their legs with a violent groan. Dark red liquid drips on the ground.

Inara gets up, helping Lieutenant Quillian to her feet.

Book and Zoe put away their guns and come back out to join them.

Looking very shaken... The few Companion police officers left start falling back to regroup.

With relief in her voice, Zoe figures, "turns out Serenity for sure ain't going without us."

Inara looks teary eyed.

Very nervously... Inara says, "well, if it meant protecting the rest of the crew..."

With a sympathetic hand on her shoulder... Zoe firmly nods, "I know. You did all right for your first time as captain."

With a faint sniffle... Inara considers, "thank you. But...I don't know if it'll be all right on Verbena much longer."

She's quick to turn back to Lieutenant Quillian.

Worriedly... Inara inquires, "Lieutenant Quillian...is there any way to put a stop to this?"

Lieutenant Quillian picks up the mostly burnt badge from the ground.

Some silent tears fall from her face.

After some awkward silence... Lieutenant Quillian looks up.

Turning to Inara, Book, and Zoe... Lieutenant Quillian answers, "yes. Everton was the only one who ran from federal officers before the shooting started. He was living off of Verbena where the signal range of the planet side remote trigger was isolated. This shooting will be expected to be reported on direct to The Alliance tomorrow. We find him with solid evidence before tomorrow, and we can go back home. At least...I hope we can."

At hearing Private Declan's name...a chill goes down Zoe's spine.

She looks a little shaken. But, she doesn't bring it up out loud for the others to hear.

Book figures, "good solid plan. The only question is...where is this man?"

Suddenly hitting on it... And, with a bittersweet tone... Inara concludes, "then I know just where to look go for him."

As day gives way to nightfall...

By a parted Verbena bush... Lieutenant Quillian is getting a yellowish tinted gray shuttle ready.

Usually when The Alliance commandeers ships, they're short handed with ships and have a lot of credits to burn to get crews inclined to help. But, with most folk on Verbena getting along so well in the past, they hadn't gone and done it: They've liked trading around shuttles and ships just for work.

From the side... Inara is there, looking just ok.

Inara proposes, "you know, you don't have to go in the shuttle. You can come with us."

Lieutenant Quillian turns to her.

After a bit... Lieutenant Quillian puts to question, "why are you so sure of that? Please don't misunderstand. You already risked a lot for us. I'm thankful. But, I don't see why going after Everton Declan on Serenity would go any better."

Kind of nervously...Inara explains, "because if Everton sees a shuttle similar enough to him to a Alliance Short Range Enforcement Vessel, he'll run. I also know Mal. So, I know how Everton thinks."

Sounding fairly impressed... Lieutenant Quillian reasons, "all right. We'll try it your way. But, I'm bringing Everton in."

Kind of sarcastically... Inara comments, "well, don't let me stop you. I'm no federal officer."

With a very faint smile... Lieutenant Quillian supposes, "I don't see it that way, Inara. Anyone who saves my life is worth a federal officer. You would be welcome here...if we can come back home."

Blushing a little... And, a little teary eyed... Inara thinks out loud, "thank you. That's very flattering. But, after my first time as captain... Deep sigh. I think it's all too much for me: All those lives to protect at once. Faint uneasy chuckle. I'd like to think it's more simple. But, I admire Companion federal officers can guard this many. More planets could learn from your example."

Sounding a little better... Lieutenant Quillian reasons, "there's no time to waste then. Let's hoof it and set another."

They faintly smile to each other.

And, with a sympathetic hand on each other's hand... They're walking over to Serenity, over a rocky hill.

Around then, by the edge of a Verbena forest...

By some parted Verbena bushes... There's a patrol of shaken looking Alliance police officers, sonic rifles ready. They seem bruised still from a kind of recent shootout from earlier.

There's a rustle in the bushes.

Nervously... One of the Alliance police officers goes, "Come out, come out, wherever you are?"

Nothing.

The other Alliance police officer looks at him funny.

The first Alliance police officer sighs annoyedly. He starts to say, "that sometimes works in..."

Suddenly... Some loud choos go off.

Warning shots are fired.

Both Alliance police officers double back a little, shot in their sides with just flesh wounds.

Some dark red liquid drips from their sides. But, they find they can quickly bandage it up.

Soon, they're aiming for the bushes with their sonic rifles.

But, by then...Mal and Private Declan are a mile away, fast walking past some Verbena bushes.

Mal stands near one, taking a bit to check if Alliance police officers are coming.

While he moves up a thick leaved branch though... He accidentally gets his hand on a thorn.

Loudly to himself... Mal exclaims, "ahh! Gorram! !"

And yet... He lets part of his hand drip some dark red liquid like it's nothing.

He starts to catch up with Private Declan.

But, what he doesn't catch is he dropped his two way radio...on the ground and smashed over a thick Verbena bush root.

A little out of breath... He catches up with Private Declan, by a clearing under the cover of night.

Harshly... Private Declan whispers, "god, Mal. You could've just got them corpsified!"

In a harsh whisper... Mal comments back, "yeah, and not be holing up no more in the dark. I thought we taught each other better, Private!"

That got Private Declan silent the rest of the way.

Around then, up in atmo...

Serenity is flying in atmo, over the western edge of a Verbena forest.

In the engine room... Kaylee has recently been flipping switches and pressing little buttons on the walls to get Serenity to go at high burn.

In the cockpit... Inara and Lieutenant Quillian are in the back. Wash is at the control.

Inara checks, "how close are we to the central factory?"

Kind of annoyed... Wash answers, "Inara, we're almost down to the wire. Fifteen minutes."

Nervous and impatient looking... Inara just stands there in the back of the cockpit.

Around then...

There's the central factory. It's very dark blue and warehouse styled, with some crude large honeycomb like fiberglass yellow tinted windows looking in.

Most of the new Alliance skiff parts were made here, with plenty for if The Alliance decides to make a whole line of them. There's also a coolant warehouse, a fiberglass warehouse, and a assembly factory to clean all the parts up and assemble them together.

But, in light of the shootouts lately, it was decided to move it all into the factories: With Companion police patrolling the assembly factory and Alliance police patrolling the central factory.

And, with officers on night patrol keeping a suspicious close watch on the other patrol around the other factory... Mal and Private Declan could just fast walk in through a metal back door.

They go on, up a ladder to the dark blue grated platform with rustic mostly coal black controls.

Chains on pulleys for hot presses and burnt metalwork tables across the first floor.

Very dark blue grated catwalks and a lot of hanging over spare chains. Very dark brown fishing rod like cranes with electromagnetic black planks on their tips.

Mal looks kind of uneasily about.

He then hits on something, "I thought our man would be here. What's keeping...?"

Interestingly...Private Declan is working the controls, picking up part after part with the electromagnetic cranes. He doesn't even seem to hear him.

Mal warns him, "Everton...you mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

With a hum to his mobile assistive bars unit... Private Declan slightly turns to him.

He doesn't take one of his hands off the controls.

With his other hand... Private Declan pulls out a crude black market brownish black remote.

With a sharp smirk... Private Declan deduces, "our men will be here soon. But, it seems there ain't hand grenades here. So, we got to make do with these skiff parts. But, first...I want to see if you're still in the war. So... Are we going to wipe out The Alliance together, or are you against me?"

A very cold glare comes across Mal's face. His eyes get teary.

He draws out his shotgun.

And... He realizes, "son of a bitch! You made me a fool to trust you. You armed that concussion bomb and had it go off, didn't you?"

* * *

 _Act VI_

The smirk fades from Private Declan's face.

Turning completely to face him... He tells him, "Mal...I swear I didn't know your crew was..."

Very coldly... Mal mutters back, "we both know better than to take our eyes off a target, and that is kind of pissing me with my crew in the way of your bomb. But, that's not nearly covering it. What 'bout the hundreds of innocent children and people you killed?"

With a very sharp glare... And, with teary eyes... Private Declan figures, "god, Mal: We're all in federal custody! We all were since the war. We find new corners of the Verse, they shoot us and put us back in custody. And, in war, there's acceptable causalities. You remember that, don't you Mal?"

Not taking his cold glare or his shotgun away for a second... Mal highlights, "I don't care what colors you flying now. It ain't war when they're not shootin' at you. Then, it's just plain murder."

Going creepier... Private Declan goes on, "what do you think is gonna happen next time they "try to keep the peace", Sarge? The Alliance will say go ahead: Let them all eat cake?! I'm waking up the Verse to the truth before they aim those skiffs at folk like us. Sniffle! I paid for it all. The bomb, the forged Companion badge...all of it. Hell, with credits I got from retirement, I'm near 'bout ready with Browncoat skiffs right from under The Alliance's noses. My men touch down in ten minutes. And, who will all the folk blame rightfully for their own end? The Alliance!"

Mal reaches for his belt, expecting a two way radio to be there.

As soon as he realizes there isn't, he looks down a bit to be sure.

In those few seconds... And, with a whirling hum... Private Declan violently knocks away the shotgun with his mobile assistive bars unit's arm.

The shotgun clinks hard against the floor below.

Mal is knocked back into the side of the catwalk.

He's coughing violently, clutching his heavily bruised side.

Suddenly... Mal faintly laughs.

Sounding a little amused... He taunts, "you're using Alliance tech to kill folk like us. That's tài zāole. Where's your corner of the Verse at?"

With a very cold glare... Private Declan remarks bitterly, "I don't care none if I'm dead or alive: I lost my sense of freedom to the unificated bars years ago!"

Private Declan then turns back to the controls.

Mal though gets up fairly easy.

With his very cold glare resurfacing... Mal grabs off some chains hanging from above.

He swings them violently at the controls.

Private Declan blocks the first with the assistive bars over his good arm.

And, with a whirling hum and burst of speed... He grabs the other with his bad arm...violently hurling Mal through twenty loudly clinking hanging over chains.

In mid-air... Mal is quick to grab some chains.

He's struggling to swing from one to another. He's struggling to see much past the clinking dangling chains, violent coughing, and stinging headaches.

Even so... He gets to the last few chains.

And, he swings off...back for the catwalk.

But, the pulsing bruise in his side and the now pulsing dark red sides of his face get to him.

He barely grabs the edge...his hands holding on for dear life.

With a creepily cold smirk... And, even with sharp pain riding up his bad leg... Private Declan kind of fast walks to the edge, leaning onto the catwalk for support.

He says very coldly, "what happened to the great Malcolm Reynolds? You can't even kill me."

Mal glares very coldly at him...even as his grip starts to slip.

Private Declan is about to kill him...when Serenity's bright white lights flash brightly through the window behind him as it lands.

Private Declan reactively shields himself from the light by crouching down, bent over.

With Private Declan crouched... Mal hasn't much trouble pulling himself back on the catwalk.

Mal violently kicks Private Declan in the stomach.

He violently groans over himself.

Mal comments cuttingly, "next time you try to kill me... Violent cough. Try a gun. Hear that gets you further in the Verse."

He then punches Private Declan out for good measure.

Soon, Inara and Lieutenant Quillion come in. So do the Companion police officers and Alliance police officers, coming in with sonic rifles pointed at the catwalk.

Expecting the worst, Mal puts up his hands. But, no cuffs come for him.

Inara looks shaken and kind of stunned. But, she faintly smiles knowing Mal's alive.

Teary eyed... And, sounding kind of unsure... Mal says, "if you're looking for some apprehendin'...apprehend him. Apprehend the men coming on his credits. We got the remote that set off the bomb and a hell of a confession."

Some armed black market criminals in gray coats with shotguns come through the doors...only to be face to face with Alliance and Companion police.

Lieutenant Quillian faintly smiles as she puts the cuffs on Private Declan's body.

And, she just says, "good work."

Mal faintly nods.

With a awkward smirk...he goes, "all right. Sure. But, don't expect me to turn it into a habit."

The next morning...

The sun rises over a cloudy sky.

Planet side, there's big Independent Planets flags with black stars and yellow and green stripes: Up town flagpoles and over Companion and Browncoat cabin windows. On the opposite side of the planet, Big Alliance flags are up town flagpoles and flagpoles recently placed around the factories.

Posters of blurred faces burnt to the ground, reeking of campfires against wood. Border folk, Companions, and Companion and Alliance police officers in purplish and yellowish gray walking and talking solemnly among themselves in much smaller groups.

Lieutenant Grayson's dead body is over his dark red liquid stained desk: Courtesy of The Alliance for failure.

In another cabin... There's Lieutenant Quillian.

She's sitting in a wood chair by a wood framed bed. Book is sitting in another chair, facing her.

Teary eyed... Lieutenant Quillian reflects, "we arrested Everton Declan. We stopped a all out war. But... Sniffle. What peace is left for long? We tried and failed."

With a sympathetic hand on hers... Book solemnly concludes, "no. The least we can do is keep on living: To keep on trying. It might not seem it at first. But, usually...time heals all pain."

With a very faint smile... Lieutenant Quillian says, "thank you, preacher."

Book adds, "you're welcome."

Lieutenant Quillian wonders, "Book... Do you know why I am the way I am?"

With a firm smile... Book points out, "I don't. But, I have a feeling you want to tell your story."

In Lieutenant Quillion's mind... Alliance school in silhouette, in the hall talking with her friends as a teenager. Home in silhouette, her father beats her with silhouette chains.

Shots.

Sees as a teenager her silhouette father running from custody from Alliance flag decorated silhouettes. Dead Alliance criminal body silhouettes over the side not long before they came.

Finds confirming records in coal black books as a adult after graduation.

Finds more and more coal black books and Companion labeled purple flowery books.

Finds more and more silhouette bodies near dying, drawing out her sonic rifle to drive off silhouette figures trying to kill the near dying with shotguns.

Silhouettes of friends from graduation vanish. Silhouettes of Verbena folk come and go.

But, with a faint swirl of purple and yellow... Her cabin comes to picture in the mental images.

And... Lieutenant Quillian solemnly says to Book, "to you, I do."

The night after that night, on Serenity...

Mal is fast walking down the hall, heading for his bunk. He's not looking back at the kitchen, where most everyone is eating, talking, and seeming in a better mood.

He hasn't said or eaten much since two nights ago.

He's holding something crumpled in parchment paper.

The deep dark reddish cuts over his face have come down from the swelling. They've been mostly cleaned up. But, they're there.

When he hears a familiar voice... Mal stops.

In concern... Zoe asks, "sir? Is this 'bout Private Declan?"

Mal doesn't turn about.

He just mutters under his breath, "not just 'bout that son of a bitch."

In pure frustration... He throws the crumpled paper hard to the floor.

He then goes down to his bunk...slamming the door shut behind him.

Kind of perplexed by his words... Zoe bends down, picks up the paper, and uncrumples it.

And, as she reads it... She glares sharply at it.

It's a letter of sorts, recorded off the Cortex by Mal hours ago in recently dried blue ink.

It says:

Hey, Mal. It's Jayne.

Faint laugh.

Do you ruttin' believe it? I ain't seemin' stupid for once!

We haven't been shooting at the other.

We're gettin' cozied up. Ain't seen much warning shots far as I tell.

In a brief cutaway... Jayne and Saffron are back in the cabin, down by that certain mountain side on Bellerophron. A cobblestone fireplace is lit, casting crackling light through the cabin in the dark.

They have their most favorite guns aimed right at each other's heads...while they're making out.

They're lying on her bed: Topless, sweaty, their unarmed hands doing most of the feeling up and down...and with groans of sexual volumes plenty.

The letter goes on:

Well, you might.

But, you fought in a war. I ain't have.

Naw: That ain't right right now.

My own heroics, Mal. I sure as hell can call it a war.

In a cutaway... Jayne fires shots from Vera...into several faintly familiar looking army men in dark blue army uniforms carrying black rifles.

They fall dead against the light green floor, of the mostly grate like dark brown hall of a privately owned ship.

Niska is running for a shuttle, armed with a spiked mostly very dark blue brown rimmed claw like torture grapple device launcher. He's accompanied by some men in dark gray army uniforms.

Then though...Saffron up spin kicks him down from the corner of the hall: High heels and all.

The torture grapple device goes flying.

Some brief dark red liquid splatter is seen from Niska's side.

Niska groans violently, reactively clutching his side as his head slams hard on the floor.

He falls unconscious.

The bodyguards go to punch her.

Saffron's quick to grapple slam one into a then denting window.

The other man punches her in her heavily bruised side from earlier.

She doubles back some, wincing and groaning violently a bit.

But, just as quickly... Saffron violently kicks the other with the blunt side of her high heel.

They're both left on the floor, very dazed and coughing violently. Some bullets are in the walls.

Jayne fast walks over to Saffron, checking if she's injured or something.

She just faintly grins though with a faint roll of her eyes...standing over Niska's body.

The letter concludes:

Ain't even getting' one of them Alliance crackdowns on us, and we're starting for the millions.

But, 'tween you and me Mal... I didn't bring no grenades 'cause I ain't stupid.

Thought they'd be well kept with you before I went.

I'll be back for them in three...four...

Just say a ruttin' month. Easy then.

You might be wrong 'bout Saffron.

But, you're damn right 'bout somethin': I don't want to stay away from Kaylee long.

Faint laugh. Hell, I don't think I ought to stay away from you long.

We might not always got sense the same. But, it close to it.

Bounty, no million credit bounty... I keep your sense in back of the brain.

And, I'll be back with a lot of coin to go around for all of yah.

There'll be a ship left. You always think of somethin', Mal.

I never been much good with them pretty words. So...yeah. See you when I'm back.

Around then...

Inara is sitting on the couch in her shuttle, looking furious as she glares at the cold looking wall.

Saffron, Jayne... They seem to creepily laugh at her in the mental images of her mind.

Around then...

Mal is sitting on his bed...glaring kind of shakily at the cold looking wall, teary eyed.

Chills run down his spine.

And, in his mind... He can just hear Private Declan's voice and Nightmare River's voice again:

If it weren't not for the shrapnel, we could have caused all kinds of trouble for The Alliance... You and me.

What do you think is gonna happen next time they "try to keep the peace", Sarge? The Alliance will say go ahead: Let them all eat cake?! I'm waking up the Verse to the truth before...

You're a killer, Mal. You'll always be a killer. Down by the beach, looking for a sand castle that doesn't wash off into the sea of blood. Faint laugh. You won't find it. Go...before your crew gets hurt.


	4. S1, Ep 15: After Burner

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

After Burner:

 _Teaser_

In the middle of the night, out by the edge of desert land... A dusty trail leads to Serenity.

Standing in the dark is Mal in his overcoat: Alone and with a careful stance to him.

The man in the dark firmly smiling back is a mercenary type that goes by the name of Stanton.

He has medium black hair and a goatee.

He wears a grayish black overcoat and a dark red vest over a white lined black long sleeved shirt. In a gray holster, he carries a black shotgun: With a thin red rim around the trigger.

Interestingly... Mal checks, "good. You're not drawing your gun. Now that we know this ain't no shootout...you understand we're current getting tight on coin?"

With a cold ring and a crackle to his firm voice... Stanton insists, "might makes it more a challenge. I kind of live for it, and your reputation is..."

Mal uneasily chuckles. He reflects, "legendary. Figure you might see it that way 'bout me and my crew."

He's thinking of Private Declan as he says it.

He's getting a little teary eyed.

But... He puts his hand over his mouth like he's trying to repress showing being tired.

A little suspicious... Stanton implies, "you could say a lot from looking at a man long enough."

Getting right to the point... Mal figures, "you could. More important though...you think you're up to the job?"

All too confidently... Stanton figures, "born ready for jobs like this, Sergeant Reynolds."

When he fought with the Browncoats, it was just with the promise of greater riches if they won.

In the final days of the Unification War, he was left with very little choice but to go into hiding from The Alliance. Now, he's still looking for some greater riches to make up for lost time.

Mal figures, "well, you might find our crew trying. Me and Zoe are no longer in the war. Our doctor has a friend that comes with crazy. And, Inara... Heavy sigh. Well, put it simple, she is a mighty trying registered whore."

Undeterred... Stanton concludes just as quick, "just gets better and better. You want someone out up in the brainpan shot, no questions asked? I'm..."

To his confusion... Mal slightly gestures down with one hand.

Uncomfortably... Mal insists, "Stanton...let's get something straightened between us. No one is getting shot unless I say it is. Dong ma?"

A little unsure what to make of his reaction... Stanton just firmly says, "dong ma."

Mal and Stanton shake on it.

Several days later, in the galley on Serenity...

Most everyone is chillingly quiet. They're back to eating protein pack mix.

Mal is sitting on one end of the table, with Stanton to his left and no one directly to his right.

In a very dark blue vest over a pale green buttoned shirt... Wash looks real tense.

Zoe and Wash are sitting together. Zoe looks tenser.

Simon is sitting on the opposite side of the table, with a tide of mixed feelings looking ready to wash out from his face. Book is on the other end of the table, looking surprisingly collected as he eats.

In a dark bluish green Grecian dress with yellow dotted very dark green arm warmers for sleeves... Inara is quick to leave with her protein and some water bowls.

She coldly avoids Kaylee's nervous side glance.

In a white dotted gray low cut top with faint blue lace and dark gray baggy like jeans... Kaylee is behind the kitchen counter: Teary eyed.

She's trying to avoid sticking out like a sore thumb to the others as she makes two batches of protein pack mix.

After a few quiet minutes... She takes the two bowls and some napkins back to the engine room.

And, in Kaylee's hammock...is River.

She's covered in a worn and torn mostly orange blanket, shivering and teary eyed.

She faintly smiles in Kaylee's direction as she comes in with food for them.

River though starts shivering more and sobbing uncontrollably.

Kaylee puts down the bowls.

She sits down facing her without a second thought.

She puts a sympathetic hand on hers.

And... She tells River, "I know sweetie. I know the fighting hurts."

Mal's mind, Inara's mind... Hearing the minds of just about everyone on the ship have been getting to her more than usual. Even Simon's mind has been mostly full of hate for several days.

But, for River, Kaylee's mind has been the opposite: Only comforting.

Not even Mal or Inara have dared to disturb River anymore than she already is.

Kaylee's words though... That calms the sobbing a little.

Tiredly... River says, "right now... Faint sob. Don't care if it's over a liar like her. We should step back and..."

Somberly... Kaylee finishes the thought, "...be okay. I know."

She admits, "I wish we could be. But, even if we lose them...I'm here for you, sweetie. Even if we lose Simon... Hard sniffle! I'm just... I'm just trying to say that won't ever change with me."

With a faint smile... River cryptically says, "castle under attack inside. Princesses: We'll be ok."

She faintly sobs. River solemnly says, "it burns. But, they don't go looking for torches. It's the others I don't know. Wish it was..."

She stops shivering. But, she starts sobbing uncontrollably again.

Kaylee just keeps a sympathetic hand on hers. Several silent tears fall from her face.

She's very tempted to hug her.

But, in the state of mind River is in... Kaylee doesn't want to make a sudden move to make River react impulsively in a way they'll both regret: Like with Niska's men trying to shoot Kaylee.

Kaylee outright says, "so do I, River. So do I."

* * *

 _Act I_

Several days earlier, out by Mal's bunk door...

The very lights in the hall looked to be glaring at Mal. Blurs of darkness were all the darker.

On the verge of tears... Inara was arguing, "Mal, I understand losing Private Declan was hard. But, while we're on the subject...how can you just let Jayne and Saffron go off on a murder spree?!"

Frustrated and teary eyed all at once... Mal shot back, "hey, I never planned on just letting him! I trust Saffron as far as I can leave her in a gorram Fei-oo chute."

Glaringly past her teary eyes... Inara muttered furiously, "and yet you pretty much just let him. That makes you just as guilty as him!"

Mal looked a little stunned. He questioned outright, "guilty? Oh. Now I'm just guilty?!"

Inara challenged, "what else would you call it then? Hypocritical behavior?"

Mal faintly laughed, which was not helping matters none.

Mal was figuring out loud, "far as we know, she never killed none that weren't Alliance: Just played them and left others to do possible murdering. Reckon we'd have known now if some innocent folk got killed cause of her. 'sides, long as they only aim for The Alliance and murderers like Niska, what the gorram hell do it matter to you?"

And, much to his shock... Inara slapped him very hard.

Mal leaned back against the wall trying to still stand. The hall was dizzy all a sudden.

Inara practically spelled it out for him, "I have friends in and outside of The Alliance, Mal. So, if you want me to leave, tell me: Don't just take your hate for The Alliance out on everyone I care for!"

With that... She stormed off.

And, soon as Mal could stand again... She was already gone from his sight.

In his frustration... He kicked the door to his bunk wide open.

He didn't even go back in. He just stormed off for the cockpit, hoping to get his mind off it all.

Presently, back in the galley...

Through the chilling silence... Mal can't take it anymore.

He says, "alright, Wash. Out with it."

Almost like he has no idea... And, glaringly... Wash asks, "out with what?"

Simon glares in Mal's direction. But, he doesn't seem to really notice.

Like he already is regretting the answer... Mal figures, "well, whatever is troubling you. You been awful quiet for days. And, while I do appreciate the Jìngyīn chǔlǐ over all out mutiny..."

Sounding nervous... Zoe starts to bring up, "sir, maybe you and Wash ought to..."

Coldly... Mal insists, "Zoe...this ain't something I'm keen on doing in a dark corner. I've yet to hear what side you're on with things Wash. And, that I got to bring it up like this kind of terrifies me."

Wash gets out of his chair.

He walks over to Mal.

Stanton comments, "well, I'm in the dark here. Can someone give me some light on this?"

Wash faintly laughs bitterly. He adds, "no one was asking you."

Wash goes on, "but, come to think of it... Yeah, Mal. Why don't you? Why don't you tell us why you let Jayne walk all over us with your Missus hell humper?"

Mal gets out of his chair. He glares right back at him.

Simon fast walks over to them, trying to get in Wash's way.

In a faintly amused kind of way... Stanton inquires, "you had a Missus? Damn, that must have been a breakup. Sure I shouldn't shoot him?"

Zoe coldly tells him, "don't even Stanton: Not if you want to not lose a arm."

She's standing right to his side as she says it, with her rifle aimed right there.

Stanton glares just as coldly...with a kind of uneasy hand still on his holster.

Wash mutters warningly, "step back, Simon."

Simon voices, "Wash... Moderate sigh. We don't like what he's done. But, this isn't going to change it back."

Wash cuttingly concludes, "well, you might be right. But, you heard "our good" Captain: It's better to get it out in the open."

Realizing Wash is going to just make him if he doesn't... Simon very reluctantly steps aside.

Wash faintly laughs. He highlights bitterly, "well, better late than never: Right, Mister out on your "little" vacation? That was before your "other good" friend from the front lines bombed us, and that's supposed make it okay soon as you turned him in? Ohh, right: It isn't...because he bombed hundreds well as us and you did nothing!"

Mal gets teary eyed.

He breathes heavily. But, he stands his ground.

With very mixed feelings... Mal insists, "I didn't know 'till he was at the factory. I did him in once I knew and you say I did nothing?! Is that it? Faint laugh. You're making yourself to a fine FANG-tzang FONG-kwong duh jie."

And, to Zoe's shock... Wash punches Mal down to the floor.

Mal coughs violently a little.

He clutches his side. But, he just glares back at Wash: Not looking away for a second.

Mal though doesn't reach for his shotgun either.

Stanton takes his hand off his holster, looking very confused by it.

Zoe fast walks over to Wash, quick to leave him be.

Standing over Mal... Wash cuttingly highlights, "surviving isn't. Isn't that what you've liked to do, Mal: Keep the ship flying over your own damn crew? And... Oh right. My point. I still have those. History's got a way of coming back on repeat, Mal. What gives you the right to think Jayne is any better than Private Declan? Hmm?"

Turning back to the table... Wash goes, "now, I don't know 'bout the rest of us. But, I'd sure like to get off this ship 'fore Saffron and Jayne shoot us all."

With cold anger... Zoe orders Wash, "you want to go back to our room."

Wash faintly laughs uneasily. He comments back, "who are you Zoe? My mom?"

Zoe remarks cuttingly, "I'm hoping there ain't need for a first. But, you getting awful close."

With that...Wash storms off to their room.

He slams the door shut behind him.

Stanton starts to go over to help up Mal. But, he insists with a hand up that that's not necessary.

Mal gets back up himself.

He's still teary eyed a little and coughing violently a little. But, he says nothing about it.

Kind of amused and kind of not... Mal says, "even with how you feel 'bout me Doctor...thank you for least trying to not have this get too much out of hand."

Simon coldly slights, "don't mention it...like ever. Long as I and River are on your ship, I'm your doctor first."

He goes to the Infirmary to get some medical supplies.

Sounding cold and yet teary eyed... Zoe asks Mal, "you ok, sir?"

With a very uneasy smirk... Mal figures, "thanks for your concern. But, I been in worse trouble with the war. I know Wash. He just need some time to himself to cool off."

His smirk fades just as quick. He checks, "he just need to cool off, right?"

Zoe says, "not just. I don't want you beat up, sir. But, I agree with Inara and my husband."

Kind of taken aback by it... Mal comments, "well, that's still better than what it could've been."

Warily with her arms crossed... Zoe adds, "I know. For how long is another matter."

Zoe sharply turns to Book.

She then very much implies, "how can you keep sitting there all calm, preacher?"

Book is bent over in prayer, looking very calm despite everything.

And, without opening his eyes... He simply says, "I'm praying for everyone on this ship."

Zoe and Mal's teariness starts drying up.

They both faintly smirk. But, Mal's smirk is more amused than nervous.

Stanton looks bored and tired all of a sudden.

Stanton figures, "well, least someone here's thinking more than just ain't surviving none. But, where's the tā mā de challenge already?"

Zoe and Mal just roll their eyes annoyedly.

Not long after, in Inara's shuttle...

Inara has recently shut off her mostly dark blue touch screen with a line to the Cortex.

She's about to lie down on the couch...when she hears footsteps.

Mal asks, "can I come in?"

He's been recently cleaned up by Simon. He also has a lingering swollen bruise in his side, which he's instinctively almost clutching with one hand.

Kind of sarcastically... Inara adds, "what's stopping you? You barge in anyway."

Sounding nervous... Mal starts to go, "yeah. Well...I... Heavy sigh."

Annoyedly and glaringly... Inara asks, "yes?"

After a bit... Mal supposes, "can't we go back to the part where we weren't fighting for once? Before I was away on what was supposed just a little excursion for my keen senses, it were as such. Now, we've been just angry."

Teary eyed... Inara pushes back, "so now you've come to say sorry for handing over bigger guns to two big babies and thinking only about credits? Well, I have news for you Mal: I leave as soon as we dock. You're too late!"

Several days earlier, in Kaylee's bunk...

Mostly green alien like spheres in two certain dark blue window like squares were looking to be struggling to blast off to escape the mosaic they're decorated on, only to go nowhere.

Dim light was all the darker, and the colors from the colorful paper lanterns were all the sharper.

Inara was coldly saying, "Kaylee, you should have told me."

Kaylee heavily sighed.

On the verge of tears... She sniffled loudly.

After a bit... Kaylee somberly said to her, "Inara, I... Sniffle! I'm really sorry."

Sounding angrier by the minute... Inara questioned, "so you knew he was going with that lie that is Saffron as soon as he planned on it?!"

Many a tear were falling from Kaylee's face. She could barely sit up on her bed facing her.

Inara was about to storm out, already by the ladder up. But...she heard Kaylee's voice.

Sounding mighty sensitive... Kaylee disclosed, "I just wanted to protect you...because I knew you'd take this the wrong way. You and Jayne are good friends, and... Sniffle! I'm really sorry, Inara. I didn't know what else to do."

With very mixed feelings... Inara called out, "what isn't with trusting her?!"

She closed her eyes as she cried it out...almost starting to cry herself.

Kaylee didn't have a answer to help her, and not knowing one just hurt.

After some nervous deep breaths... Inara was going up the ladder.

She slammed the door shut behind her, storming off down the hall.

And, all the while...Kaylee just kept sobbing to herself.

Presently...

Mal faintly laughs incredulously.

He mutters, "oh, Shèngjié qiēduàn gāowán! Now who's thinking only of yourself? If you would just go back to your whore friends for longer like you have said at times you thought on, you would have. That ain't only what it is. Good folk on this ship are holding you back and they ain't me."

Inara scowls uneasily: At his choice of Chinese words...and at a certain word she knows he's so used to saying.

Inara mutters under her breath, "well, no gos se!"

Sounding calmer somehow... She deeply sighs.

Before Mal can add something... Inara thinks out loud, "Kaylee and River are thinking of leaving without Simon. He just doesn't really want to admit it. For me, that's as good a reason as any."

Getting teary eyed... Mal gulps very nervously at hearing that news.

There's a lingering chilling silence.

With hints of resurfacing nervousness... Mal starts to say, "Inara..."

Angrily... Inara told him, "get out of my shuttle, Mal."

Mal starts to walk away and shut the door behind him.

But, then... Zoe comes running to them, looking quite nervous.

Quick to brush aside his forming tears... Mal looks to her, "Zoe. What's got you troubled?"

Zoe pinpoints, "sir...who's piloting?"

It suddenly hits Mal and Inara.

Mal runs down the metal stairs.

Quick to brush aside her forming tears... Inara's first reaction is to go with him.

But, she just as quickly takes the other set of metal stairs down.

Serenity starts to rock violently. Lights are going on and off like mad.

The low pitched whirling fire alarm goes off. Sparks are going up all across the decks.

With urgency... Mal calls back, "Zoe, get Kaylee to the engine room if she ain't there already!"

Zoe runs down the stairs to catch up with him, fast walking alongside him.

She points out, "no problem, sir. I reckon she's there now with River. But, what about Wash?"

Mal insists, "I'm sure as hell to keep us from crashing. I think."

Zoe looks to him uncertainly with a raised eyebrow. But, Mal doesn't even catch it.

They both run for the cockpit.

In the middle of the hall... Stanton is standing there.

All too happily... Stanton says, "all right, Mal. A challenge! Our day is just getting better and..."

Mal is quick to mutter back, "Stanton, not now!"

Stanton sighs in slight annoyance, shaking his head in disbelief.

Mal gets in the pilot's seat. Zoe swiftly closes the cockpit door behind her.

Getting on the comm... Mal tells all hands, "this is the captain speaking. We're locking down all decks 'till it's mighty safe not to. Thank you."

Zoe doesn't even double check with him. She just goes over to the brown tinted modem like keypad in the ceiling and starts to open the cargo hold.

Out past the cockpit windows... There's exploding flaming junk off of some loosely cobbled together satellites.

Puffs of smoke come off of them as they tumble pass.

Intact room sized ones with flashing little red lights are all around Serenity...armed each with a triplet of black spiky ball mines with little antennas sticking out by the satellite dish like rim.

With Mal at the controls... Serenity turn dives upward left...barely avoiding crashing into one of the satellites.

Flaming junk explodes off into it anyway. A gust of smoke, flames, and junk follows fast.

Serenity tries to hard burn dive further away.

It does. But...the accelerator core is on flux and sparking off like crazy in the black of space.

And, down below is a mostly copperish crater filled desert planet...surrounded in well over a hundred armed satellite mines on satellites.

All the while...Mal mutters out under his breath in Chinese, "Zhè shì tiān sǐrén dì dìfāng?!"

A little amused... Zoe adds offhandedly, "I ain't sure where the heavens are to greet us unless we land, sir."

Paying attention more to flying at the moment... Mal kind of absentmindedly goes, "uh-huh".

Inara and Simon hurry into the engine room...closing the door shut behind them.

They sigh in relief as they catch their breaths on the floor.

River and Kaylee are there.

And, for a brief time... The voices of the crew in River's head fade to a common fire: A burning fire with sparks of hope and red roses.

In the hammock... River faintly smiles to herself at the thought.

Pushing aside any nervousness right now... Kaylee checks, "are you all right?"

Inara just firmly nods, kind of brushing the question away.

Simon just politely says, "I think we're fine, thanks."

With hints of hope in her voice... Kaylee tells them, "good. Just stay sitting while I put out all these fires."

With a gloved hand... Kaylee is holding a wooden bucket fold out telescope styled emergency fire extinguisher.

It's only good for little fires though, since big fires draw in more fire than it or most any engineer can handle.

With her other greasy gloved hand... She keeps pressing the coal like button for the spray nozzle's mechanical pump: Trying to put out the little fires around Serenity's engines.

It's vacuum sucking out the oxygen from the flames back out through heat resistant venting holes in the back.

Wash and Zoe's bunk still has the door closed. Book closes his door shut.

Stanton hurries back into the galley, closing it shut behind him.

He sighs in some relief against the edge of the door.

Everything but the bunks, the engine room, and the cockpit is left open on purpose.

The little fires go off in circling off puffs of smoke. The fire alarm is still whirling.

And, with nothing left to burn off of...the little fires in the engine room are kind of easily put out.

After a silent minute... Zoe closes the cargo ramp back up with help from some control panels.

Artificial gravity across the decks kicks back on. What little air is left is circulating.

But, just as quickly...the lights go out.

The accelerator core goes out like a light.

Despite Mal's best effort at steadying Serenity... Serenity is plummeting fast for the desert planet.

The air gets thin quick.

In the dark, everyone is grabbing for the oxygen masks.

Mal mutters, "oh, gorram!"

He and Zoe duck under the control panels, holding their oxygen masks close to their mouths.

And, after a deadly silent minute... There's a loud crash.

* * *

 _Act II_

Not long after... Some light comes in through the settling down dust cloud.

Serenity is deep down in a planet's copper dust covered cavern.

The crater above has caved in, blocking off the view of space.

Shards of a bay door like double door are scattered by a cavern wall. They were melded with the crater.

Flickering little red lights have come on automatically, lining the zigzagging cavern path.

The cockpit's windows are smashed out against some fallen in stalactites.

The little fires when it landed were put out from the plummeting speed. But, the accelerator core and the cargo hold's double door are scattered back a ways in many little pieces of metal and machinery over a pile of caved in rocks.

With their free hands not holding their oxygen masks... Inara and Simon reactively clutch their bruised sides.

Stanton's side is a little bruised. Mal is tempted to reach back for a bruise on the back of one of his shoulders.

Soon as they're up... Mal and Zoe find it remarkably easy to breathe according to Serenity's scanner readings.

Soon as Mal informs the rest of the crew... They in very mixed relief put their oxygen masks back on the walls.

They soon all come out...finding Serenity in the terrible state she's in.

And, lying against the copper dust ground...are a hundred long shot dead corpses. Maybe more.

Some are in mostly gray and red soldier uniforms holding corroded over mechanical spring styled sonic rifles. Some are in blackish overcoats and gray overalls holding corroded over Lassiters.

River closes her teary eyes.

From what little thoughts are floating through from the minds of the crew and from what she learned about Verse history before she was experimented on... River knows all too well where they are.

With all the voices and echoes of shots in her head though...she can't bring herself to tell much anyone.

She's about to call out to Kaylee...only to solemnly see her by herself: Standing before what's left of Serenity's accelerator core, little pieces and all.

River runs over to her.

Kaylee is holding some charred edge of some wires and metal in her gloved hands.

She's muttering under her breath, "what did they done to you, girl? What did they done?!"

Kaylee can't take it anymore.

She throws the little pieces in her gloved hands back to the copperish dust.

And, not caring that she still has gloves on... She starts sobbing into her gloved hands.

Mal, Simon, Inara, Zoe, Wash, Stanton... They're all teary eyed and shocked by the sight.

Even Book is teary eyed, looking more nervous than usual.

With some hints of hope... And, close to tears still... River tries to tell Kaylee, "Kaylee... Sniffle. I know you think Serenity is gone. But, I know where..."

Kaylee sniffles hard...looking up a little.

Grease is all around her face. It's stinging in her eyes.

River's expression gets a little calmer somehow when she realizes it.

Without a second thought...she offers her bunched up carried out orange blanket to Kaylee.

Kaylee uses it to get the grease away from her eyes.

Sounding very embarrassed... And, with a faint smile... Kaylee very faintly says, "thank you."

Knowing they're both at least a little better now... River beams a little.

Inara deeply sighs. Mal heavily sighs.

After a bit... Inara finally admits, "I hate to tell you this, Mal. But, if we have any hope of getting off this planet...we should all put aside our fighting so we can work together."

Mal firmly agrees, "that's the best thing I heard today. 'cept there's still one fine problem: Where do we start?"

Most everyone stands behind Inara and Mal: Awkwardly and unsure how to answer.

But...Book faintly smiles knowingly at the question.

Sounding a little better... Book says, "I was hoping you'd ask. Do you know where we are, Captain Reynolds?"

Sounding a bit calmer all of a sudden... Mal deduces, "course now I ought to. You ain't the only one with some fancible schoolin', preacher. It's one out of several planet foxholes from The Core Civilizations War."

With a calm smile... Book supposes, "maybe you could enlighten us, captain. Some of us might not know that part of our history. So, if we aren't to repeat history too much and fly ourselves out safe on a rebuilt Serenity, it might be best to know first what we're rebuilding with."

Kaylee and River overhear his mention of Serenity. They knew it had to be a sign from Book to try to reach out.

With sympathetic hands on each other's and very faint smiles... River and Kaylee walk over to the others.

As she does, Kaylee ends up kind of dragging the orange blanket by the not so greasy end.

In spite of lingering awkwardness and great unease... Everyone stands intently: Looking towards Mal.

Kind of reluctant... Mal relents, "all right. Seems we got a peck of time anyhow."

With some very mixed feelings... Mal explains, "it was some years after the Exodus from the Earth-That-Was. Londinium and Sihnon were in early stages of terraforming and government goings on. Most folk seemed to be making pretty living. But, as years went...a awful self made battalion of the young and rebellious went and made themselves Lassiters. They started the shooting. Hell, they all-out gone ahead of the feds: Making foxholes out of desert planets just like this. They were trying to wipe out "civilized living" on Londinium and Sihnon so they can come and take what's left: Run things their way and leave folk none too happy with the arranging. The Alliance in retaliation made newtech weapons. And, well...I'd say it soon weren't turning the way the red-bellies were hoping."

Centuries ago...

Out past the central White Sun... There was only the edge of the known Verse.

Several desert planets copperish or blanketed with sand were there.

They were surrounded by thousands of recently activated copperish and gold tinted loosely cobbled together satellites out of junk: All armed with black spiky ball mines.

Fifty thousand dark yellow, dark blue, white, and copperish stone like black bulky Ferrari hovercraft styled ships were coming about for the desert planets on behalf of military private contractors and military key operatives of the two Central Planets: Each with a manual operated battery charged laser machine turret in back over a dome shaped metal construction beam. Each with two cannon styled accelerator drives in back under the polished silvery or copperish metal brace further back and a glass dome over the four seats for a cockpit.

Over the desert planets...hundreds of thousands of small cobbled together hovercraft racecar styled criminal ships were taking position kilometers behind their mine armed satellites.

Some were instead spiked with black spikes. Some had cannonball bombs in cannons for turrets.

Red lasers shot off like firecrackers against space.

Spiked criminal ships whizzed by, cutting down spiraling out of control shipwrecks.

Cannonball bombs shattered the cockpits to shards and dark red liquid splatter.

Central Planet ships and criminal ships were plummeting by the hundreds in blazes of fire.

Hundreds of remote detonated satellites exploded into the Ferrari hovercraft styled ships.

Some were shot to explode by criminal ships to set them off in exploding blazes of fire.

Many a plummeting ship scorched the desert planet's side.

Craters were left up with the stirred clouds of metal double door debris, copperish dust, and sand.

Yet, out from hundreds of shipwrecked ships... Alliance soldiers and operatives with mostly gray and red military uniforms, the more mechanical very first sonic rifles, and sand goggles were quick to jump over the side of their ships to get out of range of the firing down lasers.

They were running for the tossed up and shot open double doors down.

Many were shot dead with lasers...with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

Screams echoed in the copperish dust.

Many kept going, having no time to look back against the dust storms.

In English, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, and even more languages... The operatives were calling out, "keep it moving! Any soldier left behind dies for a better world!"

Underground... Down zigzagging caverns with little red not so flickery lights... Hundreds of Alliance soldiers and criminals in blackish overcoats and gray overalls were shooting off their sonic rifles and Lassiters.

With very low choos and tight electrical crackles... Hundreds were being shot dead in minutes.

Angrily...some Alliance soldiers called out, "gorram red-bellies! I'll corpsify you all!"

Angrily...some criminals called back, "gorram purple-bellies! They'll be praying for you in cut up pieces!"

Hundreds of Alliance soldiers moved past, using stalagmites and fallen stalactites as cover.

And, with the windowed control stations left with very few guarding them... All it took were some calculated very low choos from sonic rifles to take them all out through the then shattering glass.

With satisfied very faint smiles and murmurs of agreement... Some Alliance soldiers went inside to remotely aim most of the satellite mines for the few hundred thousands of criminal ships in space.

All it took were some presses of sharp bright star like buttons of reddish orange on the space ring like light blue and stark grey control consoles to get copper tint locks over some tactical Cortex screens.

Gray, white, and copper spray paint like lettering for "lock" and "fire" were coming and going.

Then... There was a massive explosion of fire.

Many criminal ships exploded in a fiery blaze.

Most all them though were forced to fall back for the desert planets...only to be arrested soon after.

Presently...

Mal figures, "it didn't wipe out The Alliance: It made them a heap of dreadful. Most those worlds were left open for colonization after the dust cleared. They weren't the last colonized worlds neither. Laser guns and red-belly ships remade into hovercraft became heavy regulated and none cheap."

More solemnly... Mal explains on, "forty hundred weren't heard from again. It was rumored they all got themselves corpisified shooting each other. But, even if that were true... The Alliance would have thought it dangerous to check on one those mighty tempting planets with all those mines still floating. They would've kept the location secret off what was a newedge of the Verse to discourage away all kind of folk. Looks now though their secret is out."

Before anyone else can say something... Mal turns back in his thoughts, "where was I going with all this? Oh. Right. So, with all this in mind Shepherd...what do you mean by rebuilding? Cause I'd sure as hell like to believe you've found a way off this gorram world. But, I still ain't buying it."

Book reasons, "this stronghold might be several centuries old. But, from the looks of things, the infrastructure seems to have aged well. After The Core Civilizations War was brought to a end, The Alliance discovered some accelerator drive components in the planet strongholds. Paper suggested they were tested on site for criminal ships."

Looking kind of stunned... Stanton inquires, "how the hell do you know that?"

Most everyone faintly smirks and smiles in faint amusement.

Sounding kind of suspicious... Zoe reasons, "me and Mal had been thinking on it. That's sure some fancible schoolin' you seemed to have had, preacher. But, I think we've had ourselves more than enough fighting for today."

Book solemnly reasons, "thank you."

Mal concludes firmly, "no need to thank us yet: We ain't off. So, it's high time we did something 'bout it."

Most everyone solemnly nods and firmly smiles at his words.

Looking warily at each other... Mal and Inara go on up ahead the cavern path to look for a control station.

Stanton stands by Serenity on watch duty, ready to pull out his shotgun.

The rest of the crew stay back to get some tools for salvage. Book and Wash even help clear some of the debris.

* * *

 _Act III_

Around then, in the Infirmary on Serenity...

Most of the lights are on low power. But, the metal bowl like overhead one is still brightly lit.

Kaylee is lying on the medical bed. Her face is all cleaned up.

A white towel drenched in water with grease all over it is lying on the side table.

Even with some eye drops in her eyes... Kaylee faintly smiles with some relief.

As she's trying to keep her mind off of the blurriness... She wonders, "I'm not really sure this is necessary. You sure it worth fixing something that ain't broke?"

Very uncomfortably... Simon adds, "I'm your doctor. And, before you might ask... Yes: I found and stopped some bacteria from permanently damaging your eyes. You're welcome."

He turns off the overhead light.

But, as Simon starts to step away... Kaylee says something that pulls him back.

Nervously and solemnly... Kaylee asks, "why do we got to fight like this, Simon?"

Simon heavily sighs. He turns back on the overhead light by a little.

Simon somberly admits, "Kaylee... Faint sniffle. I'm sorry. That was not my intent."

Teary eyed from both the eyedrops and her feelings... Kaylee awkwardly reveals, "yeah. Well... Sniffle. That don't mean it don't hurt. Ganging up on my captain with Inara sure hurt."

Teary eyed himself... Simon says, "I'm sorry. It's not you or the captain I don't trust."

Kaylee starts to put together for sure, "you just don't really trust Jayne nor Saffron."

Simon admits out loud, "not by much. And, if she gets him to turn on us for the "right price"..."

More somber now... Kaylee realizes, "ohh. You hadn't really been mad at me nor Mal. You've just been upset 'cause you worry Mal's trust in Jayne and my trust in them will get us all murdered."

Very awkwardly... Simon discloses to her, "I have. Now, that doesn't mean I wasn't blinded from hearing out you or River. But, that's all I've really felt: Worried. Faint sniffle. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I just..."

Sounding a little better... Kaylee says, "you don't have to say it, Simon. I mean, awful misguided as that might have... I rarely ever stay mad long. 'sides...why for you sounds sort of shiny."

With a very faint awkward smile... Simon says, "thanks."

Kaylee adds assuringly, "you're welcome."

After a bit... The eyedrops in her eyes start to get less blurry.

Kaylee asks, "Simon...do you trust me?"

Simon answers simply, "yes."

With a sympathetic hand out to his... Kaylee puts delicately, "then I just know you can trust Jayne. He is some of the time awfully rude. But, well... Aside from that and all the guns he has around... I think he's got good to him."

Kaylee considers out loud, "'sides, if Saffron do turn him... Well, maybe I'd straighten him out."

Simon faintly laughs. Kaylee laughs cheerfully.

Sounding mostly amused... Simon goes, "really? You straighten him out?"

Sounding more serious all of a sudden... Kaylee reflects, "Simon, I've liked young folk since the day I was born. Jayne is really a big teenage guy that likes guns a mite much. 'sides, I wouldn't see good in him if there wasn't."

Simon figures, "okay. I'm not sure if it is. But, if you're sure..."

Kaylee insists, "I am. I know him. Just try to not worry so damn much for once."

Simon considers openly, "okay. For you, I'll try."

Kaylee adds, "thanks Simon." Simon adds, "you're welcome."

Then... Simon can't help but wonder, "and you don't ever..."

He whispers something to her.

Kaylee laughs hard.

From the side of the doorway to the Infirmary... River peeks, catching them.

She soon walks back to the rest of the crew.

And, on the way...River is faintly smiling knowingly to herself with a hand over her smile: Almost like she's in trouble, even though she isn't.

After catching her breath... Kaylee surmises lightly, "oh god no! We're not at all that close. A girl's got standards all her own. I don't even wanna know where Vera's been shooting."

Awkwardly... Simon infers, "yeah. That's more than fair."

There's a brief awkward silence.

Kaylee looks very tempted to pull him closer. But, then...

Simon brings up, "I also don't like the idea of being stuck in this cave. We should get back to the crew and see what we can do to repair the ship."

Snapping back to reality and her temporary bluriness... Kaylee suddenly realizes, "yeah. We should. And the sooner we patch back up my girl, the more happy we'll all be."

With a faint smile... Simon figures, "sounds good. As soon as your eyes clear up fully... You mind if I walk back with you?"

With her hand still on his... Kaylee assures him, "not at all."

Around this time...

Mal and Inara have found a control station.

The ancient Cortex screen fluctuates quite a bit on start up. But, it's got electric power in it yet.

Inara is at the controls.

With many copperish X's over the mine armed satellites on the tactical side, she's just detonated all the ones she could just to be sure no one else bumps into them.

She breathes a mixed sigh of relief.

With connections to many satellites corroded, many are still out there. But, it's still something.

Inara then hears Mal come in.

She turns to face him.

Nervously for a whole other reason... Inara asks, "did you find the floor plans?"

With some relief... Mal concludes, "yeah. The well kept prototype drive parts turn out to be well kept in some ice filled stations further in. With a ancient line to the Cortex not asking for no Ident card, it ain't real...hard."

Picking up on Inara's nervousness... Mal figures, "I kinda hesitate on asking. But, what's troubling you now?"

Inara explains, "I reached out to a friend in the Archivist Directorate over the Cortex. It's not much: Only six hours. But...Alliance archiving isn't the only reason a Tohoku Class ship is coming."

Mal stands there intently.

He inquires, "okay. So, just what is that other reason?"

Inara is quick to answer, "well...here's a wave recently intercepted by the station. I'd be surprised if even The Alliance knows it can still sweep them."

Mal smirks quite a bit at that last part.

Though... Inara is quick to add, "look for yourself."

With a press of a few buttons, she brings up a recent private wave off of the Cortex.

It's a audio recording with a all too familiar looking still picture of a woman.

And, in a all too familiar voice... The choppy recording says:

ASREV ready with missiles as agreed... No need to kill them... They'll be...near Archive and Restoration...Site 548-7892359...one way or another.

Sounding a little stunned... Mal figures, "Saffron?"

Inara sighs uncomfortably. She concludes, "afraid so. For now, she has safe passage with The Alliance in exchange for arresting all of us under your captaincy. And, that's if we're really fortunate."

Strangely calm... Mal supposes, "okay. And I take it you're 'bout to ask to take your shuttle to go after her and possibly Jayne soon as we're off?"

Sounding almost calculating... Inara says with a very faint smile, "well, someone's got to bring her in Mal. Can you really think of anyone else more qualified?"

Mal faintly chuckles. He interestingly counter argues, "that's a mighty try Inara. But, I know you conjured it up with a Cortex voice makifier."

Having traced it with a hand back to the controls while they were talking about Saffron... He brings up the real source of the wave on the screen.

It shows Inara's screen to the Cortex, with voice samples of Bridget, Yolanda, and Saffron from wanted dead or alive waves on Saffron.

Sounding much less amused now... Mal remarks, "I also take it it don't buzz for Lā shǐ. Though, that was a very fine touch you added."

With very mixed feelings... Inara mutters under her breath, "gos se."

Teary eyed... Inara tries to say, "Mal, I wasn't trying to fight you. I just..."

With a very cold glare... Mal pinpoints, "you just tried to justify yourself behind my back."

Not sure what to say to that... Silent tears fall from Inara's face as she shakily stands there.

Very uncomfortably... Mal admits, "still... I know you weren't real looking to harm nor turn on any of my crew. I'll let you off easy this once. But, it ought to be the last: Cause you ever try a bàn hóuzi de pìgu trick like this with me again, I won't be as merciful."

He then walks out, heading back the way they came.

Inara sits with her back to the control consoles.

Held back tears finally fall from her face.

But, even with more tears...she sighs deeply with very mixed relief over it all.

Over the next six hours...

Mal makes his way to the hellish cold cryogenic Jacuzzi like refrigerator unit with the experimental drive components, all too nicely packed in two sealed black recycle bin like containers.

He takes the bottom one and gets it to Kaylee.

She faintly smiles and nods in mixed relief as she takes the container.

Then... Mal, Zoe, and Stanton shoot loose and grab up as many of the control console metal casing and circuit boards as they could carry from the nearest control stations for remaking destroyed and burnt out sections of the ship.

As they come back with more and more rounds of parts... Kaylee, Wash, Inara, Simon, and Book are lining up and screwing in whole sections worth.

River is in the hammock in the engine room...sleeping more soundly than she has in days and faintly smiling at more hopeful thoughts from the minds of the crew.

Simon and Kaylee check in on her once a hour to be sure. But, they don't look really worried.

Everyone stops for a break to eat.

Inara's not hungry though. Neither is Book.

With his book... Book stands before the dead bodies in the hall, praying for them.

In concern... Kaylee checks, "are you ok, Inara? You look as though you've been crying."

She's standing by one of Serenity's sections, leaning a arm against it.

Inara nervously stands facing her.

With lingering mixed feelings... Inara answers, "we didn't exactly part from our last conversation on good terms. But...thank you."

With a faint smile... Kaylee tries to assure her, "sure. 'sides, it looks now all us are doing better. I can explain after we're off. But, more important...it's you I'm starting to worry on."

Inara admits, "all right. Well, if you must know...I was. It wasn't really Mal. But, I'm ok now."

In great nervousness... Kaylee double checks, "you sure? Cause if he's making you cry...I don't stand for anyone treating you so luh-suh."

With a very uneasy smile... Inara tries to assure her, "I appreciate that. But, it's not what I meant. I'll be sure to tell you later: After we're off this planet."

Sounding mostly relieved... Kaylee solemnly concludes, "sure."

After the gray and blue sections are all secured... Kaylee's soldering in the new parts with a soldering torch: With her hair tied back and safety goggles on.

Then, from a distance...she solders off the seal for the black recycle bin like container.

Mal comes by to check on her and Serenity.

Mal checks, "how's the ship looking?"

Kaylee mostly assures, "we're shiny, captain. All I got left is to go down and wire the drive parts in Serenity."

With a very faint smile... Mal figures, "good work, Kaylee. Get them wired in fast though, cause we just picked up on a scheduled Alliance ship on course for us."

Kaylee firmly nods. She says, "shi."

She fast walks back into Serenity, carrying in the opened up recycle bin like container with the undamaged defrosting accelerator drive components.

Not at all long after...

The scheduled Tohoku Class city ship is coming about for the desert planet.

A Alliance Commander turns to a Alliance radio operator.

Annoyedly... He checks, "you sure we got this for archival cleanup?"

Glancing at her screen at the same time... The Alliance radio operator moderately sighs.

She reports, "sir, that is correct. Archive and Restoration Site 548-7892359. It was identified as a empty stronghold in a sweep three days after The Core Civilizations War. No living folk."

Under the Archival Directorate and the Restoration Directorate... Green grid covered holographic schematics on black screens and coffee machine styled pale tan 3D printer terminals for Earth-That-Was parts to assemble and solder together for restoration have been a high priority. Even bridges of Tohoku Class city ships come equipped with them.

The Alliance has always been big on democratic cooperation: So long as it's under their government. And, to satisfy all kinds of folk under them richer or not... Archiving and restorations of lost works of art, music, TV episodes, and movies from across The-Earth-That-Was's history has been a high priority since the early days of The Alliance.

But, with so many folk across the Verse barely getting by on odd jobs or barely keeping up in the middle class... No one in the Alliance has had much time left to make new art, music, TV, or movies.

Meanwhile, most Outer Planets simply don't have the technology and turn to plays and music instead.

Yet, even with all the technology at their hands... Even with all the diseases and physically life threatening conditions they can easily cure... The Alliance's military is really no stranger to crash landings and after burns by the rallying cries of far from just unsatisfied common folk.

The Alliance Commander moderately sighs.

He comments, "I hate mines cleanup. Deploy enough gunships to step on all of them in one minute."

A Alliance Ensign confirms, "yes sir."

He presses a few buttons at his station.

With Alliance pilots behind the controls... Thirty Alliance military issue ASREVs come out from the Tohoku Class city ship's many docking bays.

The Tohoku Class city ship stays stationary.

The military issue ASREVs fire missiles to clear away the mine armed satellites left in orbit.

In her gray kind of unzipped mechanic jumpsuit and still faintly greasy gloves... Kaylee is soon pulling herself out from under the wiring for the drive feeds.

Cheerfully...Kaylee reports, "all good. Serenity's ready for taking off."

At the controls... Wash goes, "yes!"

Over the comm... And sounding considerately better... He remarks, "Mal, everyone... We're 'bout to leave some Alliance a good moonin' and awful confused."

Wash and Kaylee faintly smile to each other.

Kaylee then makes her way back for the engine room in kind of a hurry.

On the other end... Mal answers, "glad to hear it, Wash. Now let's go moonin'."

Wash figures dryly, "well, I'm sure we could all be thankful once we're off the "planet of lost civilizations". Everybody hold on."

Zoe's standing on top of Serenity with a tether.

She shoots down most of the rockfall up to the cavern ceiling with her custom made rifle.

Now Serenity is starting up...right for the fast falling rocks.

Zoe run dives into the slightly open cargo hold double doors as they close.

The tether is snapped off.

But, with a very faint smile... Zoe tumble lands on her feet plenty all right.

Through the dust cloud and falling rocks... Serenity fly spirals hard around exploding mines and the incoming military issue ASREVs.

A few catch Serenity and the crew on their scanners.

Soon as the pilots notice Serenity has no Alliance friendly registration markings... They steer course to go after them shortly after getting the go ahead from the Alliance city ship.

Over a comlink... Mal checks, "you ready for this shooting, Stanton?"

In a opening airlock... Stanton is in a astronaut suit: With his shotgun armed and ready, and a partly open gray storage crate on the floor.

Stanton just remarks, "just ask me again when the job's done."

Over his astronaut suit's comlink... Mal adds, "okay, good. Do it now!"

With a faint smile... Stanton figures to himself, "shiny guns. Almost a damn shame to toss 'em."

Fourteen military issue ASREVs are coming about.

And, as they fire missiles for Serenity... Stanton kicks off the crate.

It opens up...with many picked up corroded Lassiters and sonic rifles floating in the way of a good some of those missiles.

They explode.

A cloud of smoke and electric crackling comes forth from it, interfering with ASREV scanners and missiles.

And, as the military issue ASREVs start to come out through the smoke... Stanton rapid fires at more of the corroded Lassiters and sonic rifles left unburnt from the explosion.

There's more explosions and electric crackling.

Soon, all the ASREVs coming after them are drifting: Without power and several minutes of air left before other Alliance pilots have to come rescue them in their still powered ASREVs.

The dust and explosions clear from far behind Serenity in space. No one's following.

Everyone sighs and faintly chuckles with much welcome relief.

That is, except for Stanton and Zoe: Who are just proud to be standing with Mal and his crew.

River gets up from sleep, smiling bright.

For deep within, going on more than just mind reading... She just knows they're getting back to being a family. And, she knows that Serenity is back to flying free.

A few days later, on Serenity...

In the cargo hold... Kaylee and River are playing ring toss with coiled around leftover ancient wires.

Some leftover scrap metal has been soldered down to rough rimmed metal cones for them to toss them on: Thanks to Kaylee's own handiwork.

Simon is sitting slightly back by some crates, just happy to watch them play.

River has already got seven wire coils around the scrap metal cones.

Kaylee has only got three around the scrap metal cones. But, regardless, she's smiling and laughing cheerfully.

River makes a throw.

It lands only a inch short of a metal cone...knocking it over.

As she goes to set the cone back up though... River is just brightly smiling back to Kaylee.

Amused by them playing... Inara faintly smiles as she passes by them.

She heads down the hall.

As Inara passes by Zoe's and Wash's bunk...

Some groans of sexual volumes are faintly heard past the door. No doubt she knows it's them.

With some deep breaths... Inara pauses in front of the door to Mal's bunk.

After a bit... She finally lightly knocks on his door.

Mal comes up. He cautiously opens the door.

Sounding very unsure... Mal notices, "well...you seem mighty pleased with yourself. Still, everyone seems it."

Inara highlights, "especially Kaylee. She volunteered to straighten out Jayne if necessary. I volunteered myself to go after Saffron if necessary, and we agreed. I hope you wouldn't mind."

Amused... Mal faintly chuckles. He says, "little Kaylee?"

Inara admits, "I was surprised myself. But, I'm glad we could come back on Serenity: Without all the fighting."

Mal figures, "I'm thankful for my crew. For us though, it's just a day of us trying to get along."

With a awkward chuckle... Inara says, "I sincerely hope not."

Mal turns to go back into his bunk.

But, just before he does... He turns back to Inara.

Mal admits, "you know...there were some awful things I might have said that I shouldn't."

Sounding kind of amused... Inara asks, "just some?"

Nervous all a sudden... Mal thinks out loud, "what happened to Private Declan got me to thinking 'bout who I can really trust 'cept for Zoe. Still... Book might've been with the Alliance for some time. But, he ain't never come with a gun aimed at us. The way I figure it... Maybe not all your friends in The Alliance are whores. Some might even be like the good Shepherd."

Beamingly and more than a little stunned... Inara says, "from you, that's very unexpected. But...it's also very welcome. Mal, you... You have no idea how much..."

She's about to nervously say something more. But...Mal interrupts the thought.

Mal concludes, "no: I do. It's no problem...long as they ain't aiming a gun at me or my crew."

Inara seems off put a bit. But, with how happy she is with him, she ignores that bit.

Kind of nervous still... And, with a comforting hand on his... Inara suggests, "I might even introduce you to some of my friends. That is, if you wouldn't mind terribly."

Mal adds simply, "maybe one day."

Inara firmly nods. She adds, "all right. One day."

Later that night...

Most everyone else has gone to sleep.

Mal and Stanton are sitting opposite each other in a faintly familiar looking bunk.

To free up the space at least for the time being... Mal moved Jayne's things left onboard including the grenades into his own bunk: Under the bed and in the few drawers around.

Stanton questions, "so...what's the deal with your Missus? I recall I never got to finding out."

Kind of bittersweetly... Mal comments, "you sure you want to go down this road with me, Stanton? 'cause far as I see, she's still a brilliant evil double crossing snake."

Sounding undeterred... And, with a faint smile... Stanton says, "I'm real sure."

Reluctantly... And, with a uneasy sigh... Mal concludes, "all right."

Mal begins to tell him, "well... It started out typical: Shooting ourselves some bandits for some decent townsfolk and a awful questionable elder. Townsfolk were so grateful, they threw us a party. At the time, most us were glad and mighty drunk. But, there... There was this beautiful woman with kinda well tended to strawberry blond hair who was offerin' me a wreath and some wine as what seemed to just be a common custom among her people. Faint uneasy chuckle. How mighty little did I know..."

Around then, in a mostly stark gray hotel room off on Bellerophron...

Sounding all too excited... Jayne wonders, "you all had a fight on account of me?"

On the Cortex... Off of a fancy black rimmed screen... Kaylee sighs heavily into her hand.

She's in Serenity's cockpit. And, at the moment, no one else is near the screen on her end of the private line.

Jayne is in a grayish orange sleeveless undershirt.

Jayne asks, "what? What's bad 'bout...?"

Looking up from her hand... Kaylee spells it out for him, "Jayne...it's not really you we were fighting over: It was you with Saffron. Now do you see what I mean?"

Uncomfortably... Jayne answers, "yeah. Just kinda wish now I didn't."

Kaylee says awkwardly, "sorry."

Trying to lighten the mood... Kaylee wonders, "so...how is cozing up? You don't even have to say much if it ain't something you're comfortable with."

Jayne figures lightly, "damn well so far. Faint laugh. Actually, she..."

Kaylee asks curiously, "what?"

Jayne recalls, "she got as much sense as saw and a hell of ruttin' feelings. Even kind of talked me into kissing on the mouth: Guns pointed with no ruttin' passing out."

Looking stunned... Kaylee concludes, "wow. You got to really love her: Letting her kiss you there."

Sounding kind of uncertain... Jayne mostly confidently says, "damn right there."

A little amused... Kaylee comments, "it also sounds real kinky. Not that I ever would. But..."

Jayne firmly says, "yeah. I know."

Kaylee slightly nods. She concludes, "I got to get some sleep."

Jayne just says, "okay."

Kaylee starts to tell him, "but, before I disconnect the line..."

Jayne jumps to concluding, "you want me to watch myself 'round Saffron?"

Nervously... Kaylee implies, "well Jayne...that ain't exactly it."

Confused sounding... Jayne asks, "then what is?"

A little teary eyed... And, with very mixed feelings... Kaylee admits outright, "I was real hurt when Saffron first played my captain. I just weren't stopping to think it much 'cause I was thinking on getting nav control back for my girl. Faint sniffle. Honest, if it weren't for just performing last time...I couldn't ruttin' stand you going to her. Still, with all the sense you see in her... I'm all right with reaching out one more time. You could even tell Saffron. I... Moderate sigh. I'm just hoping me, Mal, and everyone on Serenity don't come to really more so regret it. You know?"

In a serious tone... Jayne sums up, "well now I do."

With a very faint smile... Kaylee says, "thanks for not being so rude 'bout it."

Kind of unsure what to say to that... Jayne says, "thanks... I think."

A little uncontrollably... Kaylee yawns.

Kaylee realizes, "sure. But, I ought to go to sleep."

Jayne deduces, "all right."

Kaylee tells him, "good night, Jayne." Jayne says, "night, Kaylee."

With the press of a button on the stark grey Alliance dedicated source box... Jayne cuts off the private line.

Catching that the automatic plastic like bathroom door has been open... Jayne walks over.

With a annoyed glare... Jayne comments, "were you spying on me the whole ruttin' time?"

Saffron peeks out from behind the open doorway.

She's wearing five inch mostly marble like flowerpot-sole shoes and a light purple bathrobe.

A little teary... And delicate sounding... Saffron says, "I'm sorry. Force of habit. I'll try to be better for you."

Sounding a little better... Jayne says, "all right."

With a snarky smirk... Saffron figures, "now it is. Although..."

Jayne asks, "yeah?"

With a sympathetic hand on his... Saffron adds, "at least you don't got to tell me about what Kaylee is thinking of me. But, before you brush it under the bed... Please: I get it. It's good knowing I might have one less person in your crew who hates me. But, I get it."

With a faint unsure kind of smile... Jayne agrees, "yeah. Least we're all making sense."

Sounding concerned... And, still with a hand on his... Saffron asks, "is something wrong Jayne?"

Kind of tired... Jayne insists, "hell no. Just... I could get some sleep myself."

With a very faint unsure kind of smile... Saffron figures, "all right. Well...we'll be more glad to see each other's naked flesh in the morning."

Jayne concludes, "yeah."

Saffron starts to turn back for the living area in the dimly cast light.

Saffron tells him, "good night, Jayne." Jayne says, "night, Saffron."

Jayne turns off the lights for the bedroom part of the room.

He starts to go to sleep in the very dark red sheeted bed.

But, as Jayne is... He starts turning quite a bit: More than he ever has before.

In his nightmare... In a muddy and metallic swirled tint... He sees Kaylee and Mal shot in Serenity's cockpit.

In the screaming... Dark red liquid stained dental braces loosely crumpled into bullets are being fired.

And, from the back of the cockpit... There's a grinning metallic rimmed acidic yellow eyed Nightmare Saffron...firing a breathing in and out Reaver styled version of a shotgun.


	5. S1, Ep 16: Wolves of Gray

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Wolves of Gray:

 _Teaser_

On a morning, before a bright blue sky... There's a planet covered in mountainous peninsulas.

Waters circle under and by dragon resembling jagged edges of the two supercontinents.

Ice sheet like factories and ports cover most of the edges. The Victorian styled plaza filled cities are right between the edges of the ports and mountains.

The Central Planet is Valentine: A corner of the Verse known for wines, rivers of shot down ships and sunken treasure miles deep, high society rules laid out in Chinese and English by bars and taverns...and a high regard in recent years for Alliance soldiers and hired guns alike.

After the Unification War... There's been such a rise in criminal syndicates in Valentine that The Alliance found it best to curtail it by hiring hired guns as Operatives to shoot other hired guns.

Most Alliance military started to stay away from Valentine after that: Whether by order or not.

But, if they got family there, they're not going to just stand by and leave them alone to fend for themselves against the crime syndicates.

As for some outlaws?

In a mostly white cobblestone carved inn with dark bluish gray window shutters... Up the stairs and down the hall... Saffron and Jayne are in a guest room.

Saffron is wearing five inch mostly wooden and flowery whitish blue flowerpot-sole shoes, a low cut faint red dress with smallish silk sleeves and blowing around autumn leaves down the left side, and her goldish chained amulet with the central White Sun around her neck.

Jayne is in a bright yellow T-shirt, with a sneering cartoonish guy in a brown cowboy hat on it: With a beard and mustache. It says below in Chinese:

Mòshēng rén yào lěngjìng, wǒmen méiyǒu jiànmiàn. Wǒ bǐ yuèqiú gèng jiānqiáng.

The floor is very pale gray. Old fashioned torch styled lights line the mostly dark bluish gray walls.

A solid brown tan Alliance dedicated source box is to the side of the slidable glass windows. Past the slidable glass windows is the cobblestone porch, looking out to the cobblestone lined dirt roads and horse drawn carriages.

Scattered by the very dark bluish gray sheeted bed are several open whitish silvery storage crates.

On the bed are several 3D printer restored artifacts: Including a restoration of a crumpled black and white photo of a ambulance coach from WWI, a rustic looking brown car headlight...and a quarter of a marble, serpentine, and porphyry floor mosaic from one of Roman Emperor Caligula's private ships.

Looking kind of unsure... Jayne lifts up the quarter of mosaic for a bit.

Then, realizing it's weighing heavily without another set of hands... He sets it back down.

With a faint smirk... Saffron seems tempted to laugh.

But, she's just sitting there on the bed: Facing him. She's awaiting a answer.

Jayne comments, "it's a good stash. But...you really figure this here bust will go for much coin?"

Sounding kind of amused and kind of not... Saffron implies, "Jayne...please: Listen."

Jayne looks very confused. He asks, "what? They ain't for coin?"

Sounding impressed... Saffron supposes, "good guess. They're parts of my collection 'round the White Sun. I've collected good old things like that good quarter of bust. Well...most see it as stealing. But, The Alliance can just go restoring their Ròu Gēngyī shì Zìwèi egos with 3D printer buttons. Not that they really care after that first time."

She faintly grins at the part about The Alliance.

Jayne faintly laughs.

Sounding somewhat surprised... He then comments, "huh. Really?"

Seeming completely unphased by it... Saffron insists lightly, "really Jayne."

Jayne figures, "okay. Still...what the hell sense is there keeping a stash while you coulda just went and sold it?"

Saffron faintly rolls her eyes.

With a faint smile... And, kind of bent over... Saffron suggests, "I've never really known why. Maybe I like being reminded of what I was living like as a child. You don't know this. But, back then...I wasn't always runnin'."

Jayne faintly shrugs. He adds, "okay. Ain't sure I got the collectin' none. But, I have got plenty of guns and grenades. You could say they're a collection."

Saffron faintly laughs.

She's tilting her head slightly to the side while leaning against her arms leaning against a free spot on the bed.

She comments lightly, "well, don't feel bad. I would like to see all those guns and grenades of yours one day."

All too confidently... Jayne adds, "thanks." Saffron adds, "you're welcome."

Jayne sits next to her on a free spot on the bed. Saffron sits back up again to look right at him.

Jayne inquires, "so... How 'bout where you were raised?"

There's a awkward silence.

After a bit... Saffron kind of nervously tells him, "I'm sorry. That might be too telling right now."

Kind of glaringly... Jayne challenges, "well, why the ruttin' hell not? 'cause right now you ain't making sense."

Saffron faintly laughs.

In a creepy kind of way... And, before Jayne can get to his feet in a huff... Saffron wonders, "where's the thrill in that, gunny? It can get boring if I told you everything right away, and I so much want to thrill you."

Jayne pauses. He turns to her.

He figures, "figure it the way you want. I just appreciate knowing things right off."

Saffron moves closer to him: Her face just a inch or two from the side of his face.

With a sympathetic hand on his... Saffron tries to assure him, "I know. I'm very used to playing parts, and I know that can at times annoy you. But, I am very grateful we're as one flesh. Please believe me on that."

Kind of coldly... Jayne figures, "good figuring. But, if that were...you'd start at the part of yours of being real young. I damn sure I have. Hell: We got to saw my mother on Atreus, and I ain't even got to knowing your mother."

Kind of uncomfortable sounding... And, pulling back a little... Saffron says, "I said I know my being very used to playing parts can annoy you. And, the short but very spirited Miss Radiant Cobb is real lucky to have a son who gives back a big cut of his seventy thousand credits to her."

Jayne lets go of her hand.

With a very uneasy kind of stance over the bed... Jayne adds, "yah. She sure as hell is."

Delicate sounding... And, with a very faint smile... Saffron tries to assure him, "all right, Jayne Cobb. With you...I'll think of telling you all the parts I've played and getting myself ready to tell you that much. I'll tell you what you should know of me as it comes. And, as long as your large pounds of muscle flesh and my hot pounds of muscle flesh are as of one flesh... I'll please you and thrill you any way I can. What more can you ask your girlfriend?"

As she does... Saffron's inching her way around his side: Cautiously with little pauses.

Even as she swings up both her legs across his waist like lightning quick...Jayne doesn't resist.

And, with a smirk... Jayne goes, "aw hell. There ain't much more in askin'."

Kind of annoyedly, Saffron rolls her eyes.

But, with a faint grin... She just adds, "good."

Jayne goes to take off his T-shirt.

Saffron helps him pull it off, letting it fall on the pillow.

Jayne starts to pin her down on the bed.

But, then... Saffron suddenly puts up her legs to keep him from doing so.

Jayne mutters angrily, "gorramit, devil woman! What the hell did...?!"

Teary eyed from his reaction... Saffron lowers her legs.

She is quick to explain, "please...please don't think I don't want you on me. Moderate sigh. I just don't want to up here where my old things can be broken. Dong ma?"

Jayne stands down. He breathes heavily, calming down.

After a bit... And, sounding embarrassed... Jayne says, "naw: I'm sorry. Seems I weren't figuring on that."

Saffron wipes off the teariness in her eyes. She faintly smiles in relief.

With a sympathetic hand on his... And, solemn sounding... Saffron insists, "it's ok Jayne. You usually do pretty good with figuring: Just not at some things that I'm very good with."

Jayne says solemnly, "thanks Saffron." Saffron adds, "you're welcome."

Solemn sounding... Saffron starts to say, "so... You still want to...?"

Interestingly though... Jayne is looking out to the slidable windows: Deep in some thinking.

Sounding concerned... Saffron checks, "is it what I did, Jayne? Is that what's still...?"

With a very faint smile... Jayne thinks out loud, "naw. It ain't you. Just...it's got me thinking back to Mal."

Sounding very unsure and kind of interested all at once... Saffron inquires, "really?"

Kind of awkwardly... Jayne figures, "yah. That was a hell of a day."

With a smile with closed lips... Saffron swings her legs back around his waist.

Kind of invitingly... She says, "you know... Although I've got some mixed feelings still sitting inside with Malcolm...you can tell me. But, you don't got to."

Jayne concludes, "naw. It's all right: Long as you don't mind me telling you 'bout our day with the wolves..."

With a wide grin... Saffron assumes, "you playing with DNA bred wolves, and guns ready on a hunt for Alliance? Now you got me very interested."

Jayne laughs hard at that mental image.

With a smirk... He admits, "all right. I'll tell you. But...it weren't hunting for Alliance feds. Sure as hell would've felt good if it were though."

* * *

 _Act I_

Sounding all too pleased... Saffron adds, "same here. I would love to go hunt down some Alliance."

She then insists, "but, please: Don't hold out your story on me. I'm interested. Go on: Tell me."

Kind of awkwardly... Jayne continues, "all right. Well... I was only looking to help Brent. But, Mal and Zoe...they were on to me."

Earlier, weeks before stealing medical supplies from Ariel...

The rising sun's rays were all the sharper.

The spiny gray trunked trees were all the grayer. Their little green leaves looked kind of like claws, ready to claw at any movement at the grayish soil.

Mal's crew had been here to deliver goods to a village among several on the desert outskirts of the forest clearings: Mostly foodstuffs.

But, in the forest clearing... There were five wire coiled lasso traps...on pulleys secured to trees with solid rustic brown jagged bladed key carved knives.

Jayne was sitting in the middle of them.

He could hear the footsteps of four gray wolves coming up bizzarely closer and closer toward him.

How was this possible along corners of the Verse?

Well... With egg and sperm vials mixed into highly concentrated liquidated DNA vials... The Central Planets have all kinds of food imaginable: From killer whales, octopus, and wolves to cheetahs, cattle, and chickens.

Anything Reaver related though is off the menu.

By pouring DNA vials near moist enough soil and water... Animals can grow from them like livestock.

They're the same kind of vials from the generational Arks from the Exodus from the Earth-That-Was: Not the least of which included cattle and chickens. That's where it all started.

Then, in the 26th century... There's zoos for the children to visit whenever they want. There's exotic pets for rich people "not so officially on the record".

But, sometimes... The more exotic animals in the Verse have been mighty tempting for outlaws to take and sell off on Border Planets and Rim Planets.

Only, for most folk on those worlds, they're not able to take care of them for long.

So, they leave them out in forest clearings and desert to fend for themselves...and become displaced predators for the cattle and unsuspecting folk.

Back with Jayne's story...

In a few seconds... Jayne looked up.

He was smirking at his handiwork.

The wolves were caught up in the wire coiled lasso traps. They were clawing and struggling to get out soon as they were.

But, Jayne's smirk didn't last long.

Zoe had her custom made rifle aimed right at him. She was glaring something fierce.

Zoe cuttingly said, "much as I'd like to shoot you right now... The Captain thinks this ain't your typical line of work, Jayne. I least want to see if the Captain is right 'bout this."

Jayne turned around...to see Mal also standing behind him.

Jayne heavily sighed. He was hoping he wouldn't see him this fast.

Mal was glaring back at him, with a hand ready on his shotgun. But, he hadn't drawn it out either.

Mal pushed a little, "well, Jayne: How about it? 'cause we mighty close to shooting you for animal cruelty."

With some held back nervousness creeping its way out... Jayne explained, "Brent has gotten awful low on catches for them cage fights. Just got his wave a few days before we was coming here. What else were I to do, Mal? Dick, Brent, and me ruttin' grew up together out on Atreus. I couldn't just let him down."

Real uncomfortably... Mal concluded, "Jayne...I understand you trying to help somebody that was mighty close to you growing up. But, people on Atreus find ways their own anyhow. 'sides, that still don't make a right for animal cruelty. You help us get them down safe, or I'll end you right here. Now preferable we do this without all the shooting. Dong ma?"

Zoe commented back, "speak for yourself, sir."

Presently...

Saffron concludes, "your mother spoke pretty well of you and Dick. But, you know... I'm not sure she'd real approve of cages fights."

Kind of nervously... Jayne admits, "I know. That's why me, Brent, and Dick ain't told her 'bout them meat raffles: To protect her. But, I ain't into any cage fights. Not much fun nor sense to them when you coulda held one them shiny shootouts with bad guys over a ruttin' hill."

Sounding a little amused... Saffron comments, "yes. That figures."

Jayne asks, "what figures?"

Saffron states, "you kinda take after Radiant. Although I only recent know her, I could pick up on that easy."

Jayne faintly smirks. He says, "yah. She raised me good. I love her."

With a very faint smile... Saffron adds, "good for you."

She's got her arms suddenly wrapped close around his arm.

She's gently and kind of slowly moving her mostly still wrapped around arms down his: In a unorthodox caress, like a slithering snake.

With a faint smirk... Jayne thinks out loud, "now I ain't sure what you're doing. But, I think I already like it."

Sounding kind of playful... Saffron says, "oh, me? Well...you've still got a story to finish. So, I'm loving your muscle flesh as held back as I could. I hope it's not too distracting for you."

Kind of awkwardly... Jayne insists, "naw. It's better than how that day ended."

Saffron pauses.

Solemn sounding... Saffron says, "I'm sorry Jayne. I didn't know that. But, go on. I'm here for you."

Jayne adds, "thanks." Saffron adds, "sure."

Jayne continues off, "so there we were, kind of in a standoff."

Earlier, back before Ariel...

Jayne was drawing out his revolver styled handgun. Mal was drawing out his shotgun in reaction.

Zoe still had her custom made rifle aimed at Jayne.

There was a lingering awkward silence between the three of them.

On the way back to Serenity... The rest of the crew caught sight of this.

Sounding very unsure what to make of it all... Wash called out, "Zoe?!"

Kaylee and River were running over to the trees. They were both on the verge of tears at the sight of the wolves caught up in Jayne's traps.

Simon and Inara were struggling to catch up. They were both a little out of breath.

Book was cautiously walking towards everyone else.

Kaylee called out, "Captain, why are they all hanging from...?!"

Zoe was insisting sternly, "Kaylee, Wash... Everybody back to the ship!"

With her and Mal a little caught off guard by the sudden arrival of the crew... Jayne ducked behind a tree.

Angrily... Mal muttered under his breath, "gorramit! We ain't playing with you, Jayne!"

Not wanting to risk hurting the wolves... Mal slightly lowered his shotgun.

Jayne muttered back, "I ain't neither! I'm sorry, Mal. But, I got my own family on Atreus to think 'bout."

He turned around the tree.

He got up.

With some loud choos... He was firing at Zoe.

Zoe was tumbling fast behind another tree.

With some loud bangs... She was firing back from the ground.

Bullets grazed the side of a tree trunk...and by Jayne's hip.

One of the lasso rope wire coils for his traps was shot off by the side of the trunk.

A wolf was coming down fast from the trap.

Jayne groaned violently, clutching the flesh wound.

Some dark red liquid was dripping from there.

And, near the wound...hints of a shot open dark and light yellow tinted body wash styled pheromone spray bottle were sticking out of his back pocket.

Wash, River, and Kaylee were looking to unspring the traps.

To their mixed relief... Two were slowly coming down.

But, with the gunfire going around... Simon and Inara pulled River and Kaylee close to the ground: Shielding them from any stray bullets.

Wash was running behind a tree for cover.

A stray bullet grazed the side of that very same tree trunk.

Book was getting into position behind a tree.

He was loading a mostly silvery long tipped gun. But, he wasn't sure at all what to expect.

The two wolves coming down came down fast.

On the way down... One of the wolves clawed through the last trap's lasso rope wire coils.

Then... There was a tap on Jayne's shoulder.

A bit confused... Jayne turned around.

Mal punched Jayne kind of violently down from behind.

Jayne was coughing up some dark red liquid. Regardless, he was quick with pulling himself back up.

With a very faint smirk... Mal was going, "ok. How does this figure to...?!"

Then... He and Zoe caught a whiff of the pheromone.

The four wolves landed on the ground.

With some wounded howls...they were calling on the rest of the pack.

Some growls and howls came from further out in the forest clearing.

With Mal still facing him... Jayne suggested, "umm... I think we ought to just put down the guns and get back to the ship: If I could still come with yah."

With a very satisfied smirk... Mal commented, "yeah. Well, it seems as though you've learned your lesson for the day. Now, let's all get back on Serenity."

He helped Jayne to his feet.

Jayne was leaning against him to help himself walk a little easier.

Everyone else was back on their feet.

Even Zoe wasn't questioning Jayne right now though.

They were all fast walking away.

They fast walked past several spiny trees.

But, past a spiny tree... Between the crew and Serenity... Five gray wolves were coming: Closer and closer.

With growing louder growls and building up glares... Their hair is bristling.

Somewhat uneasily... Inara was bringing up, "Mal... I may not really know much about wolf behavior. But, if I didn't know better...I'd say they think we're wolves."

Zoe asked, "sir?"

Mal admitted, "I don't know."

Jayne muttered, "gorram. I had a bottle. It weren't cheap on coin neither."

He took out the shot open pheromone bottle as he said it.

In frustration and on impulse... He tossed it off into the forest clearing.

Most everyone glared at Jayne. River was just laughing kind of loud at him.

With a cold glance... Simon put together, "the canine pheromone bottle. Everybody must have got it in your little shootout."

Kind of sarcastically... Mal remarked, "we can make fun of Jayne's pheromones another time. Right 'bout now, we got to take shelter in these trees."

Zoe, Kaylee, Wash, Inara, and Simon couldn't help but chuckle a little.

River was just catching her breath for a bit.

Then, she was laughing kind of loud at Jayne all over again.

Jayne glared back at Mal. But, he wasn't in much position to argue.

They all fast walked back for the nearest trees...just as the wolves started to give chase.

* * *

 _Act II_

Soon, the crew was up in the trees.

The wolves were down by the trees: Alert, growling, and standing their ground.

Up one tree... River was swinging on a sturdy branch, faintly smiling to herself. With most everyone not aiming guns at each other, she was content to.

Kaylee was mostly content to watch her swing, wanting to not think too much of the predicament before them. Simon was next to her, barely keeping his balance on another branch.

Up another tree... Zoe, Mal, and Jayne were barely sitting on the jagged branches.

Mal wondered, "wait."

Zoe checked, "what are you thinking, sir?"

Mal supposed, "you've clear been in worse shape. Couldn't you get to the ship and come back about?"

Zoe commented, "might be worth it: 'cept I don't pilot that good."

Mal sighed heavily. He admitted, "no. That's true."

Kind of sarcastic... Jayne figured, "well, here's a crazy idea: How 'bout we just shoot them?"

Mal heavily sighed. He highlighted, "no, Jayne. I'm not going corpsifying innocent genetic conjured up critters big or otherwise just to survive if there is another way to get past them. 'sides Jayne, you got us in this mess of yours."

Kind of defeatedly... Jayne commented, "yah. Don't go reminding me."

Zoe said, "I hate to admit to it, sir. But, he might be right."

Jayne added, "thanks. 'bout time you..."

Zoe and Mal warningly glared at him.

Jayne had gone silent after that.

He was looking back down at the wolves.

He gulped kind of nervously: Even though he wasn't looking to show he was.

Then...River stopped swinging as much.

Kaylee wondered, "what is it, sweetie?"

Sounding amused... River cryptically went, "five little wolves. One purple riding hood. One big bad reddened pig huffing on a tree."

Kaylee and Simon faintly chuckled uneasily over that mental image.

Simon was quick to comment, "River, we saw the wolves. They're not that little."

River faintly shook her head.

Undeterred... She concluded confidently, "not to purple riding hood. Purple riding hood dance circles. Get them to go back."

Simon called out, "no, River!"

River was already swinging off of the tree.

Kaylee and Simon reached out for her.

But, River was already tumbling to the ground...just a few inches behind the wolves.

Soon... She was twirling around the trees, laughing little by little.

The wolves chased after her. But, she was at the very least just as fast as them.

Zoe and Jayne were about ready to fire.

In her mostly held back worry...Zoe was getting a little teary eyed.

Jayne seemed all too happy to start shooting.

But... Mal insisted, "no. Not yet."

Zoe started to argue, "sir...are you...?!"

Jayne muttered back, "Mal!"

Mal pointed out, "River is a mighty prodigy. We shoot only if we got to: Not before."

Zoe and Jayne grimly just stayed in that position over the triggers for their guns.

From up a third tree... It turned out Book had got the same idea.

Only...he was keeping his loaded gun carefully concealed from behind. He was real hoping not to have to fire.

Wash was reluctantly sitting nervously there by Book: Not sure what else to do himself.

Kaylee and Simon were nervously watching: Not sure what else they can really do now but watch.

Inara was reluctantly sitting in a tree: Not sure what else to do herself.

The wolves gathered around River: Mostly obscuring her from view from high up besides her head.

Kaylee teared up.

She couldn't take looking anymore. She closed her eyes.

With a arm around her... Simon inched closer to her to try to comfort her.

With a big smirk on her face... River was bent over a little, like partway through a bow.

She was holding and shaking the discarded shot open pheromone spray bottle between her legs like a tail. But, she stood her ground.

Some of the wolves sniffed the spray bottle from behind.

They cautiously licked it.

The wolves lowly howled and growled. But, their hairs are no longer bristling.

Some of the wolves in front of River get closer.

River swiftly tosses the bottle to her other hand.

River was gently passing the spray bottle's wet part along their faces.

Soon, all five wolves were licking it.

By then, she had gently passed the spray bottle over all of their faces.

It was dripping wet.

And, as she was standing before them... River was saying, "back in the woods, wolves inside still. They follow you back. They follow you back. We are all pups: Just playing up in the sky. We want to go back to the sky. Serenity ramp: Goes back up to the sky."

She pointed the spray bottle in the direction of the fallen unconscious wolves.

The unconscious wolves were slowly but surely getting up again.

River then harmlessly tossed the spray bottle in the direction of the unconscious wolves.

The wolves were barking a little among themselves.

The two leaders of the pack were rubbing their cheeks and pushing their noses against River's cheeks and nose. But, with her high degree of spatial awareness, River pulls back just enough so as to not get her nose broken.

River playfully rubbed her cheeks and nose on their faces.

Glaringly... Simon was reacting, "what in god's name are these bitches doing to my sister?!"

He was about to jump down without a second thought.

Kaylee pulled him back gently: Much to his confusion.

With a faint laugh... Kaylee assured him, "Simon! She's just making friends."

Awkwardly... Simon said, "I knew that. I just hope she doesn't get herself killed."

Kaylee pointed out, "I know. But, she seems all right. She is a genius in the black after all. You both are."

With a wide smile... Simon added, "thanks."

With a wide grin... Kaylee added, "you're welcome."

River was telling the wolves, "remember. You can go back in your woods. Now you see. They follow you back. They follow you back."

The wolf pack then retreated.

They were leaving the unconscious wolves of their pack behind. But, they didn't break into a run.

Soon, everyone else in the crew got down.

Simon and Kaylee rushed over to River.

Simon asked, "are you okay River? You gave us quite the scare."

River faintly grinned. She insisted, "I'm ok now: Now that we can go back to the sky. But, I got to play first."

Kaylee was still grinning: Very much assured at seeing Simon and River assured.

Zoe and Wash were quick to go in first to lower the ramp for Serenity.

Inara and Book passed by Simon and Kaylee. They faintly smiled to themselves.

Simon concluded, "okay. Come on: I'll get you cleaned up. In fact, we could all get cleaned up from Jayne's ape stench."

Kaylee rolled her eyes as she passed him.

Simon called back, "what? What did I say?!"

Kaylee just faintly laughed playfully at his expense. She headed up the ramp.

Mal and Jayne were heading up the ramp.

Jayne commented, "what the gorram hell was that, Mal?"

Mal figured, "that is what makes us different than Reavers: Only she's a mighty prodigy. You know, Jayne..."

Jayne asked, "what?"

With some faint amusement... Mal remarked, "she could get you looking into a civil tongue, and she ain't got all solid landscape in the brainpan. I think that's mighty capable."

Glaringly... Jayne shot back, "hey! Now, that was uncalled for."

With a faint smirk... Mal commented, "well, that makes us even then. Don't it now?"

Jayne grumpled to himself. But, he didn't argue about it.

He just walked on up the ramp: Back into Serenity.

Presently...

Sounding troubled all of a sudden... Saffron moderately sighs.

She is now going up with her arms near his shoulder.

Jayne can't help but ask, "what's wrong?"

Surprisingly, with a cold glare... Saffron observes, "your crew don't seem to think very well of you: 'specially River and Mal. But, you still want to go back to them. Isn't that so?"

She pulls her arms and legs away.

Jayne deeply sighs.

He firmly holds one of her arms.

But, before Saffron can say anything... Jayne says, "Saffron...it ain't what you think. I least ought to tell you."

Saffron's expression lightens at that.

Jayne lets her arm go.

Saffron then says, "all right. Tell me."

A little uncomfortably... Jayne brings up, "not exactly all them. I sure as hell don't like River or Simon much. Kaylee and Mal are different though. Mal and me... It's a whole other story. But, we understand one another good now. 'sides, I always respected Mal."

Saffron faintly smiles with closed lips.

Sounding nervous... And, looking down... She reflects, "or Mal wouldn't have let you go off on your own to go looking for me. I get that much. Although most your crew thinks not so kind of you...it really helps for me: Knowing you're not a idiotic dog owned by a captain like some men in The Alliance. I'm sorry I acted like I did. But, maybe you least could get why I did."

Sounding calmer now... Jayne responds, "naw: It's okay. You got a hell of a mind, downright pretty, a hell of sense... I love you."

Saffron reaches a sympathetic hand out to him. He takes her hand.

Saffron looks up to him.

And, blushing a bit... She says, "I am touched you're still here with me. But...it's kinda still a little soon for me to tell. Faint laugh. I mean, I ruttin' fooled myself into thinking I love with a lot of men before you. Still...I think I love you too."

More casually... Saffron says, "I also think the crew was making a big deal out of nothing. I mean, animals are just animals. Left off to themselves, they kill each other over meat and partners. But, people can play parts."

A little unsure... Jayne admits, "I ain't sure I whole agree there. Hell, I thought of having a dog when I were young. But, still... Faint laugh. We got more than enough to like."

Saffron admits, "and not like. Faint laugh. You know...it's getting hard for me to imagine you're the only man I didn't marry."

Sounding a little amused by it... Jayne points out, "'cept you ain't all that sure."

Saffron gets off the bed.

But, she's just stretching one leg at a time by the slidable windows from sitting there so long.

Turning back to him... Saffron adds, "I know. But, with us as one flesh...it's hard to not think 'bout it already."

With a smirk... Jayne assumes, "you're probable right. So, you don't like River neither?"

Saffron pauses.

She lies back against the wall by a slidable window: Completely turning back to face Jayne while stretching still.

A little teary... And, with a raised eyebrow... Saffron says, "I didn't say that. But... Faint sniffle."

With concern... Jayne figures, "okay. I'm trying, Saffron. But, I ain't sure I got what's got you so worked up."

Saffron figures, "sorry. This is hard to say. But...I'll try."

She takes a breath. She wipes some teariness away from her eyes.

With more feeling in her legs... Saffron sits back down next to him.

She asks of him, "Jayne... You won't tell your crew?"

With a sympathetic hand on hers... Jayne goes, "all right: If it mean that much to you."

With a faint smile... Saffron adds, "thank you Jayne."

She explains further, "River actually scares me. When I was playing the part of Mrs. Reynolds... Faint sniffle. I saw River in the hall one time. She just knew I was a thief and not for food. The rest of the crew didn't think much of it at the time. But, I ruttin' did. It's hard to imagine what The Alliance did to her. Still... Rumors from a underground movement got 'round the Cortex long before I came onboard the ship. After I was shown to my room... I was crying. It seemed cleared out...as though River just killed someone and was hiding the blood covered pillow under her dress. Although with knowing some 'bout the crew now... Maybe that wasn't really what happened. But, at the time... Faint sniffle. It felt like I was next if I didn't get the job done fast."

Jayne looks shook himself.

He hugs her close. Saffron hugs him back.

A little teary eyed... Jayne mutters, "oh gorramit. I'm sorry. I ain't knew 'till..."

Over his shoulder... Saffron insists assuringly, "it's all right, Jayne. Hell, maybe that was just my hell of a mind playing with me. But...at least I got you to protect me from River. Don't I?"

Jayne figures, "damn right you do."

They then pull away.

They both very faintly smile: Letting the faint teariness in their eyes dry up.

There's a awkward silence.

Then... Jayne speaks up, "still... Never thought you could get real scared."

Saffron laughs.

With a faint grin... She says, "you're surprised? That is touching, gunny."

Kind of unsure what to say to that... Jayne goes, "thanks. I think."

Saffron faintly rolls her eyes in amusement.

Jayne double checks, "and you ain't gettin' second thoughts on the job tonight?"

* * *

 _Act III_

Saffron insists, "no, I'm okay. Faint laugh. Hell: I picked taking from a DNA bred vial facility. I'm not scared of DNA bred animals. They're just animals."

Jayne figures, "sure. I was only thinking it wouldn't hurt to check."

Saffron adds, "sure. Thank you." Jayne adds, "sure."

Saffron considers, "although, if you did get a pet... Maybe for you I'd consider it as a part of you all the same."

Jayne faintly smirks. He concludes, "I ain't sure 'bout getting one. We're getting near out of coin as it is, and this is our first job in a while after sitting pretty in them riches. It's still good figuring."

And, with a comforting hand on his... Saffron tells him, "you're welcome."

That night...

Two moons circle around Valentine in space.

The first moon is Selene. The second is Chons.

They're both mostly covered in ice sheet like ports and factories as big as skyscrapers.

In Selene, they double as homes for the high class folk that live there.

But, in Chons... No one really lives there.

The thunderstorms are untamed.

Not even terraforming has stopped the high winds. So, not much folk want to live there: Even if they could afford it.

There's only one or two operational official ports at a time.

The factories need high level clearance to enter.

Some are med facilities. Some are DNA vial facilities. But, Chons has most of the DNA vial facilities in the whole Verse.

Outside security for each gray rimmed hatch styled door is a oval shaped grid of eight waterproof plastic wrapped cameras on metal poles. The doors are mostly made up of faint bluish gray painted glass, with a faintly familiar looking curved out wide black stripe down the center.

Thunder. Lightning.

Rain falls. The wind rattles the security cameras's metal poles very hard.

A armed figure moves in the shadows of the cameras: Crouched low past the camera range.

Jayne's face is briefly seen...as he aims Vera for two of them.

With some loud choos... He shoots them out: Timing it with a incoming clap of lightning.

Not long after... Two Alliance police officers in heavy jacket versions of their uniforms come out of the nearest hatch styled door to check on the damage firsthand: Armed and ready to draw.

A little nervous... One of them checks out loud, "anybody here?"

Then... Someone trips him from behind.

He lands hard against the metal studded planks of the port. His sonic rifle flies out of his hands.

And, standing from behind him...is Saffron.

She's in her buttoned up dark purplish red jacket. And, she's faintly smiling: Not caring about her dripping wet hair.

Saffron concludes, "yes. The Alliance still thinks I'm a good potential asset. But, then...that was their mistake."

Meanwhile... In his dark green army jacket... Jayne is back on his feet: Shooting at several Alliance officers.

With a splash from hitting the puddles... Two fall dead, with hints of dark red liquid splatter.

One clutches his arm, groaning violently. Hints of dark red liquid dripping from it are briefly seen.

With some very low choos... Four Alliance officers shoot back.

With not much cover out here... Jayne runs down the port.

Four sonic waves come.

But, with a faint smirk... Jayne suddenly stops.

He tosses some grenades in their path.

The opposing bursts tear a hole through the port...knocking back the coming Alliance officers.

They're all knocked out.

With a satisfied smirk, Jayne runs back around.

But... The door opens again.

And, as he gets ready to shoot again... Jayne's smirk fades.

Fifteen Alliance officers are coming out, armed and drawing out sonic rifles.

Short on breath... And, looking terrified... A certain fallen Alliance officer reaches hurriedly for his sonic rifle.

But, just as quickly... Saffron just side kicks him hard in the head.

He falls back to the ground: Knocked out.

Sounding bitter... Saffron mutters, "when you get up, maybe you'll thank me for not feeling like killing a ruttin' fool. But, I doubt you will."

Jayne glanced back at Saffron...realizing she's been standing over a fallen Alliance officer this whole time.

In a low tone... Jayne irritatedly calls out, "Saffron!"

He puts Vera away.

He breaks into a running charge...tackling the wounded Alliance officer.

He punches him violently against another of the coming Alliance officers.

With some violent groans...they both fall to the ground.

Suddenly... A Alliance officer orders, "stand down: Now!"

Looking very much on edge... Jayne sees fourteen Alliance officers with sonic rifles: All aiming at him.

He reluctantly puts his hands up.

But, then... Several Alliance officers hit the ground: Stunned.

Most of the Alliance officers turn around.

Saffron though draws out her most favorite handgun.

With a moderately loud choo... She shoots down two Alliance officers when they try to fire at Jayne.

They fall dead, with hints of dark red liquid splatter.

Saffron tumbles for another Alliance officer...high kicking him into a fourth in mid-tumble.

With very low choos... Sonic waves keep coming.

But, they're lost in the chaos and lightning.

Jayne draws out Vera.

Before they can react...he shoots some Alliance officers. They fall dead.

Some Alliance officers tackle him. But, Jayne punches one of them down.

He shoots into the other, with hints of dark red liquid splatter.

One groans violently on the ground, stunned. The other falls dead.

Back on her feet now... Saffron is standing over the rest of the Alliance officers and their fallen bodies.

Sounding a little embarrassed... Saffron says, "sorry."

With a very faint glare... Jayne just very faintly nods.

Saffron reaches down to some of the fallen officers, taking some ID.

Saffron figures, "I got us two Ident cards. Let's go."

They both head to the closed door.

But, with slipping in the Ident cards in the two slots at the same time... The door opens.

They both run in: Not looking back.

Not long after...

Inside the DNA vials facility... The first floor has been left vacant.

Dark gray lined nozzles and light gray rims for a system of large black tinted glass tubes run down the light gray walls: With superhot boiling water going up one wall, and liquidated DNA going down another.

The lighting is almost blindingly bright.

Black tinted glass tanks are built into the mostly light gray floor for liquidating strands of animal DNA together: With just hints of swirling boiling water visible through them.

A acetane sheet tinted monitor is by a mostly jet black circuit breaker styled control panel with little red screens and silver switches. It's showing sideways bars on a faint blue readout: The red bars for liquidated DNA going down, the blue bars for the boiling water.

On the control panel... A faintly familiar mostly silver cylinder is there: Latched magnetically.

In the ring of little lights around the mostly silver cylinder, two go on and off from blue in the lower left and lower right. The light strip down the top of the cylinder is glowing faint darkish yellow.

Saffron has her tan tinted mostly gray Personal Cortex Access Device out: To hack the security systems and make all the light yellow lines for the cameras and Alliance scanners turn off one by one with some gray buttons.

With a tense look... Jayne is standing in the middle of the floor: Alert, armed, and ready to draw.

There's a awkward silence.

After a bit... Jayne speaks up, "what the ruttin' hell were you doing standing there?"

Saffron moderately sighs.

She pauses: Lowering her Personal Cortex Access Device.

Saffron looks up, turning back to Jayne.

Sounding embarrassed still... She admits, "I... I don't really know why I'm talking to men that are already knocked out. But... Yeah: It seems to be a force of habit. I'm sorry for that."

Sounding a little better... Jayne says, "thanks."

Solemn sounding... Saffron adds, "you're welcome."

After a bit... Jayne deduces, "I'll have to keep watch for that. Still...I appreciate you being honest 'bout it."

With a faint smile... Saffron reasons, "I knew you would, gunny. Now, let me finish taking off the security systems so we can go grab ourselves some DNA vials. Please."

With a faint smirk... Jayne concludes, "sure. Yah, no problem."

Not very long after...

Saffron and Jayne have made it to a storage room among many.

The metal barred shelves are full of darkish yellow capped reddish, bluish, and brownish liquidated DNA vials: Marked with the names of animals in yellow Chinese letters and placed in wooden vial holders.

Jayne brings in some heavy silvery storage crates.

He opens them up, carelessly letting the empty DNA vials smash on the floor off by a corner.

Not even phased by it much, she kind of annoyedly rolls her eyes.

She quickly puts two sets of wooden vial holders into the two storage crates. Jayne latches them closed.

Then... There's footsteps.

Saffron mutters under her breath, "Rénròu de báichī dà xīngxīng: Your mess got them coming for us!"

She gets both storage crates from the floor, holding them in both hands.

Annoyedly... Jayne mutters back, "how can you be so damn sure?"

He slightly opens the door to the storage room...to find several Alliance officers coming. They're armed and already have their sonic rifles drawn out.

Jayne realizes, "gorramit."

Saffron faintly smirks, with a know it all kind of faint nod. She also adds, "hm."

Then... A sonic wave hits the door: With enough concentration to explode the hinges off.

The door bends and crashes with a loud clank, vibrating a little still against the floor.

One alliance officer orders, "stand down, or we will open fire!"

Jayne mutters back, "hell no."

He grabs up the big vibrating piece of door...hurling it right at a Alliance officer.

The Alliance officer violently hits the floor, clutching his side and coughing violently.

Saffron is already making a run for it a little ahead of Jayne.

She side kicks a Alliance officer to the floor.

He's clutching his side and coughing violently.

Jayne punches out another Alliance officer. He falls to the floor.

Then, he runs past some sonic waves to catch up.

The glass tubes up and down the walls vibrate a little.

They don't explode. But, some control switches explode off.

Saffron goes on to the mine shaft styled elevator up ahead.

But, from out of nowhere... A sonic wave comes.

Soon as she hears the very low choo, Saffron runs for it.

But, as she does... The sonic wave hits her hand.

She side tumbles by the floor from the impact...barely steadying herself from hitting her head on the floor.

The cargo crate in her hit hand goes flying across the floor...along with several DNA vials clinking along the floor.

The latch for the crate had exploded off from the sonic wave. The DNA vials on the floor are slightly cracked.

Saffron pulls her vibrating hand in on impulse: Lessening the violent vibrations against her leg while still holding the second crate close to her.

Looking real pissed... Jayne shoots at several Alliance officers coming from around the elevator.

Some fall dead. Some are on the floor, clutching their sides and falling unconscious quick.

But, rather than checking on the bodies... Jayne rushes over to Saffron.

His expression changes right to worry.

A little shakily... Saffron is barely getting to her feet.

Jayne calls out, "Saffron!"

She almost stumbles over. But, Jayne helps steady her.

Jayne asks, "Saffron...you all right?"

Saffron faintly smiles.

She adds though, "well...nearly."

Palm up, she holds up her hit hand for him to see.

It's got a deep red gash down it, and some dark red liquid is dripping down the sides.

Jayne figures, "gorramit. Here."

He rips off a sleeve from his own T-shirt, offering it to her.

In a reluctant way... She hands Jayne the cargo crate in her hand to trade him.

She wraps the sleeve around her hand and ties it to stop the bleeding: Even though some dark red liquid seeps through.

Very uneasy sounding... Saffron admits, "thank you. Really. But...it smells."

Jayne figures, "we could get one of them decent casts later."

With a very faint smile... Saffron realizes, "right. Always figuring."

Jayne faintly smiles back.

Then... Slowly growing louder beeps go off from the two elevator shafts: The one ahead, and the one across the way.

Saffron realizes, "we can't stop them with my P.A.D: We're not near elevator controls."

Jayne questions, "then what do you think we ought to do?"

Saffron suggests, "we can still get out in one piece. But, not without leaving the vials."

Saffron starts to head for one of the elevators.

But, interestingly... Jayne pauses: Still looking at the vials on the floor.

As he does...he's thinking back to his story with the wolves.

Looking confused at him... Saffron checks, "Jayne?"

Jayne figures, "you can go on out. But, I ain't leaving the vials."

Saffron puts a comforting cast wrapped hand on his hand.

Faintly teary eyed... Saffron concludes, "I'm not going without you, Jayne. But, I'm not ruttin' getting arrested again."

She closes her eyes to hold back some tears. She faintly sniffles.

Determinedly... Jayne insists, "naw. Neither of us are getting pinched."

Saffron moderately sighs.

She wipes away the faint teariness in her eyes with her uncut hand.

After a bit... She considers, "well...do you actually got a plan?"

With a very faint smirk... Jayne figures, "just one."

He hands Saffron his revolver styled handgun.

He points to some tubes for the boiling water...right by the elevator in the back.

Saffron faintly grins. She says, "brilliant."

Jayne starts to grab up the fallen DNA vials: Putting them back into a fallen set of wooden vial holders and the storage crate.

Saffron fires Jayne's revolver styled handgun near the elevator in back.

The glass tubes for boiling water shatter to pieces.

Boiling water washes over the elevator door...short circuiting the electromagnetic mechanism.

On the other side of the elevator door... A Alliance officer tries to open it.

Only...it doesn't open.

Boiling water seeps into the elevator floor.

All of the Alliance officers inside double back against the dry corners of the elevator in burning pain, clutching their water soaked boots.

Meanwhile, outside of that elevator... The elevator up ahead opens.

Saffron drops the revolver styled handgun. But, she draws out her handgun.

She shoots a few coming Alliance officers. They fall dead.

Three more Alliance officers come out of the elevator.

With some very low choos...they fire sonic waves at her.

She tumbles past the sonic waves.

A non-glass section of the floor just vibrates a little.

By now, Jayne has the storage crate with the exploded off latch under his arm. He has the other storage crate in hand.

From the ground... Saffron high kicks two Alliance officers to the elevator floor.

They both hit the floor, knocked out.

The third Alliance officer angrily pulls her up by the neck.

Saffron coughs, struggling to breathe.

But, then... With his suddenly free arm... Jayne's got the Alliance officer in a headlock.

With him choking...he lets Saffron go.

Jayne lets him go, letting him gasp for air on the floor.

After a bit though... Saffron is breathing again.

And, with a cold glare... Saffron just side kicks the guy.

He falls to the floor, knocked out.

Jayne picks back up the other storage crate.

With a free finger though, Jayne presses the gray button for the elevator door to open.

With concern... He checks, "you all right?"

Saffron faintly grins. She says, "now I am. You are quite a man."

Jayne smirks...just as the elevator door opens for him and Saffron.

On the way back to Valentine...

Through a certain windshield, the black of space is ahead. The two cargo crates are secured in the back with grayish black clipped straps.

Saffron is piloting her ASREV on the way back. Jayne is next to her in the co-pilot seat.

Saffron starts to say, "you know..."

Jayne can't help but ask, "yah?"

Saffron considers, "I'm glad we could get more credits than I thought. But, I want to know: Why'd you think we have to bring all the vials? 'cause I don't think we did."

Jayne faintly uneasily laughs.

Jayne admits, "you might not believe it. But...it was the story with the wolves."

With a smirk... Saffron slightly turns to him.

Sounding a little amused... Saffron comments, "really? 'cause there's plenty I could've not believed today. But, I believe everything you told me. I'm still here for you, Jayne. So...why don't you go ahead and tell me why?"

With one hand in a cast and the other she's keeping close by the controls... She moves one leg suggestively up Jayne's: Feeling it up a little with her bare foot alone.

Jayne smirks. He comments, "you got a hell of a mind."

Playful sounding... Saffron comments, "thank you."

She's quick to add though, "although, seriously...why don't you tell me?"

Jayne figures, "all right."

Very uncomfortably now... He explains, "one day on Mal's ship... It was leaving atmo. I almost were pulled out a airlock. And, one of the things I first thought were "that ain't no way for a man to die". Then, I saw tonight those cracked vials there...vials for them DNA bred animals... Moderate sigh. It's kind of crazy. But, I thought I saw wolves in traps there..."

Sounding solemn... Saffron puts together, "...'cause you thought that was no way for animals in those vials to be killed: Even though they weren't really born. That don't seem real Fēng: Not to me."

Sounding a little better... Jayne figures, "yah. That looks 'bout right."

Saffron pulls her leg down, resting it just by Jayne's foot.

Sounding kind of confused... Saffron concludes, "I still kinda don't get it. But, it's all right: I don't hate it."

Jayne adds, "thanks." Saffron adds, "you're welcome."

She takes her hand off the controls: Letting the ASREV stay on a straight course by itself in the black of space.

With a wide grin... Saffron turns completely to face Jayne.

And, sounding playful... Saffron then wonders, "so, tomorrow... With you on me...what part do you want me to play for you?"

Looking caught off guard... Jayne figures, "uh...'side from Inara? Sorry: I ain't got much to think of."

Saffron lightly remarks, "oh, I'm real sure I can think of one you'd like. We could play Pick a Part of Saffron. I got least ten in my hand of cards."

Jayne laughs.

With a smirk... He tells her, "I'd love seein' more of them."

Impulsively... Jayne reaches for her legs.

But, Saffron notices. And, on her own free will, she clearly doesn't mind.

He moves his hands near between her legs.

Saffron even lowly groans sexually while getting ready to undo her pants with her uncut hand: All as a invitation.

But, realizing this might not be a good time while Saffron's cut hand has yet to have a "more decent" cast and smells to her... Jayne pulls his hands away.

With a faint smirk, Saffron laughs.

But, before Jayne can get all annoyed... She reaches her comforting uncut hand to Jayne's hand: Which calms him just as quickly.

Sounding nervous then... Saffron figures, "well...they're kinda still big parts to me that I've played. With you...I'd love to try to see how much of me you can really take. Although...what more pleasing way is there really to see that?"

Kind of annoyedly... Jayne suddenly comments, "aw hell. Now you're giving me a test?"

Saffron pulls her hand away a little, resting it by her leg.

Sounding more amused by the minute... Saffron suggests, "if you really do love me? Yes: You might think that. But, I said you can pick who goes first. I'll also try to be easy enough on you."

With a faint smirk... Jayne figures, "all right! Which part of you first? Faint laugh. Hell, that's easy."

Saffron guesses, "Yolanda?"

A little stunned... Jayne starts to ask, "how did you...?"

Saffron reasons, "'cause we're as one flesh. But, you could have also surprised me."

With a smirk... Jayne comments, "how could I? You know already so much 'bout me."

With a faint grin... And, with her kind of comforting uncut hand on his... Saffron cryptically says, "and now, with much more of me for you to be on...it's going to soon be real even."

* * *

 _References Side Notes:_

1) the deleted scene for the episode Our Mrs. Reynolds(on likely any DVD set of Firefly)

2) the short story Fun with Dick and Jayne by Ben Edlund

3) Jayne's home planet in this episode collection is named Atreus, which is named after the House of Atreus where a king named Atreus rose up and became one of the cruelest kings in Greek mythology(also because there was no official name before for Jayne's home planet)


	6. S1, Ep 17: Heart of Gold Revisited

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Heart of Gold Revisited(Even Shinier Cut):

 _Teaser_

As Rance and his men start to head off on a mostly tan gray hovercraft and on horses...

With a sympathetic hand on her shoulder... Nandi tries to assure Petaline, "shhh. Quiet now. It'll all work out."

She briefly turns her head: Slightly glaring back to Rance in his darkish orange coat as he starts to head off.

Chari and Helen are helping to steady Petaline.

Nervously... Chari points out, "he'll do it too. He'll do what he says."

Petaline faintly sniffles. The lingering teariness from her eyes are drying up some.

Turning back to them... Nandi insists determinedly, "No he won't. We won't allow it."

She is though breathing a little harder than usual as she says it.

Kind of tense sounding... Helen puts to question, "how we gonna stop him, Nandi?"

Turning completely to Petaline... Nandi figures, "we'll get help. That's how."

In mixed relief... Petaline's sniffling starts to fade.

Sounding dead certain... Chari says, "help? There's not a soul on this moon'd go up against Rance Burgess."

Tensely... Helen concludes, "She's right. Ain't nobody strong enough. And, even if there was...who'd help us?"

With a faint smile... Nandi implies, "I know a dear friend who's been thinkin' of coming out here: It'll just be a mite soon."

Around then, in the galley on Serenity...

Mal whips a pistol out for who knows where: With a stylish silvery lined rack to the barrel.

He's cleaning and checking it, looking heroic in a cowboy preparing for a gunfight kind of way.

Spread out on the table is an assortment of most of his best guns and such.

A familiar voice suddenly says, "hi."

Mal gets a bit startled: Reactively pulling up the pistol in his hand.

Then, he looks down at the table: Kind of on edge.

Inara says lightly, "sorry Mal. I didn't mean to startle you."

It turns out she walked in from the hall behind him.

She's now passing Mal, heading for her locker box by the back of the galley among many a locker.

Casually... Mal tries passing it off, "no Inara, you didn't. I was just, uh... Bwaaa! That's more like a... It's a warrior like... It strikes fear into the...heart of..."

As he goes bwaa... He's pointing his pistol off in front of him like it's no big thing.

Inara faintly turns back with a faint grin on her way to her locker.

With a raised eyebrow... Inara comments, "...idiots on Tohoku class ships that are easy to order about?"

She has turned back to face Mal from her open locker.

Mal kind of uncomfortably glances back. But...he just as quickly faintly laughs it off.

Inara faintly chuckles.

As he holds out his pistol sideways... Mal comments, "you know... It ain't wise, sneaking up on a fellow when he's handling his weapon."

Sounding a little amused... Inara reflects, "I'm sure that was one of the things I've first heard said in my Bodyguard grade Companion training. But...perhaps the dining area isn't the place for this sort of thing?"

She's stirring in a white tissue box like container with a spoon: Probably with some Chinese spices for later.

Confusedly and a bit sternly... Mal asks, "what do you mean? It's the only place with a table big enough."

As he asks, he lowers his pistol back towards the table.

With a faint smile... Inara says, "on Serenity, of course."

Mal faintly smirks at that.

Inara puts the container back into the locker before closing it up: Spoon and all.

She then moves over to the table.

Inara says, "in that case..."

She reaches for the pistol.

In a know it all kind of way... Inara tells him, "every well-bred petty crook staying away from the Central Planets knows that the small concealable weapons always go under the far left of the place setting."

Inara places the pistol further to Mal's left.

At the Central Planets part... Mal slightly glares at her.

Picking up on it... Inara looks down nervously.

But, before Inara or Mal can say much... Wash comes in.

Inara looks up: Trying to look as though nothing's wrong in front of another member of Mal's crew.

Wash reports, "got a distress call coming in. Some folks asking for help."

Kind of sarcastic... Mal goes, "really? Folks asking for help: From us petty crooks?"

Inara looks at a loss for words right now: Avoiding Mal's glance.

Wash says awkwardly, "well, there's that. But...did I just walk in on your bad moment?"

Not sounding very convincing... Mal insists, "no Wash. You know, maybe I should take that right away."

Mal starts on his way to the cockpit.

But... Wash stops him with, "well...that's what I was getting to: It's for her."

A bit stunned with everything... Mal asks, "huh?"

Inara very faintly smiles to herself over his reaction.

With his hand on the doorway... Wash points out, "sorry Mal. But, the call's for Inara."

Seeming anxious... Inara concludes, "I'll take it in my shuttle."

She's already fast walking for her shuttle.

Wash goes, "all right. I'll send it back there...to you."

Wash heavily sighs to himself.

He walks away, muttering some very hard to hear Chinese to himself.

Mal is left alone.

There's a awkward silence as he kind of slowly reaches for his pistol.

Soon as he reaches it...Mal whips his pistol back up.

And, half heartedly... Mal goes, "bwaa."

He points it in a heroic like way as he does.

Then, with a frustrated look on his face... He kind of slams it back on the table by the other guns.

* * *

 _Act I_

Serenity gently moves through the black of space.

Around and through Serenity's hull... There's Inara's docked in shuttle.

In Inara's shuttle...

On Inara's screen to the Cortex... There's the live image of Nandi.

Nandi explains, "...and I got word you were in the area. I'm kind of imposing. But, I got no one else to ask."

Inara concludes firmly, "it sounds like something this crew can handle. I can't guarantee they'll handle it particularly well. But..."

With a almost stoic face... Nandi figures, "if they got guns and brains at all..."

Kind of cuttingly... Inara remarks, "they've got guns."

Sounding kind of worried... Nandi says, "payment won't be a problem. We just ain't equipped for this, and I ain't all sure on what went on on Verbena. But, if you sure that ain't much a problem..."

She's blinking her eyes quite a bit as she says it.

Inara insists assuringly, "Nandi, it's gonna be all right. Mal tried to stop Private Declan soon as he found out what he was really up to: I think he's all right. I just wish him and I could meet you under better circumstances."

Nandi's eyes stop blinking as much.

With a faint smile... Nandi reflects, "that's more than I coulda said for most men. He's got to be a dear friend of yours."

With a faint smile... Inara admits, "he can be terribly trying sometimes. But, yes: He is."

Nandi very faintly nods.

Nandi points out, "the House would tell you not to come. I know they ordered you to shun me when I left."

Inara looks down a little. But, just as quickly...she looks back up to face her.

In a low tone... Inara mutters, "the House can gun HOE-tze bee DIO-se."

Uncomfortably and solemnly... Inara tells her, "I would have waved you before long ago. It's just..."

Nandi insists assuringly, "doesn't matter."

Then, with a faint smile... Nandi comments, "who'd have thought we'd both end up all the way out here?"

With a wide grin... And, with a faint chuckle... Inara adds, "who'd have thought."

Nandi then says, "let me know what your people say." Inara says, "of course."

Sounding at least a little better... Nandi says, "I'll wait to hear from you. TZOO-foo nee, Mei Mei."

Inara says, "and you, Mei Mei."

With the press of a unseen button... Nandi cuts off the planet side line connection to the Cortex on her end.

Inara touches the Cortex screen: Selecting Nandi's frozen image. She just took it through a side camera screen.

Contemplatively... Inara sits there quietly for a bit: Looking at the frozen image.

Then... A little embarrassed sounding... Inara realizes, "I suppose you heard most of that?"

Mal appears, peaking around the corner by the curtains.

While pointing to the curtains... Mal remarks calmly, "only because I was eavesdropping."

Inara faintly rolls her eyes annoyedly.

Getting to business just as quickly... Mal realizes, "Your friend sounds like she's in a peck of trouble."

Inara turns to him.

Inara concludes, "she is. And, there's no authority on that moon she can go to. They're totally alone."

Mal sits on her couch, facing her.

Mal figures, "some men might take advantage of that."

Kind of nervously... Inara figures, "one man is trying to."

She walks over to the couch, sitting next to him.

Mal gets right to the point, "and she's lookin' for someone to come along and explain things to him?"

Inara confirms, "that's essentially it, yes."

Mal does some figuring, "a whole house full of whor... Yeah: Companions. How they fixed for payment?"

Inara chuckles a little.

With a comforting hand on his... She says, "they're not companions. But, I appreciate you're trying to respect more of me."

Mal uncomfortably smirks a little. But, he doesn't say much.

Inara kind of nervously pulls her hand away.

However... Inara outright tells him, "they're whores."

Sounding a little amused now... Mal turns to her, "okay. Thought you didn't much care for that word. Or, is this a sudden change of yours?"

Kind of uncomfortably... Inara figures, "oh no. That isn't. But, the word applies here. They're not registered with the Guild. They're..."

Mal figures, "...independent?"

Sounding a little better all around... Inara says, "yes. That also applies."

She suddenly gets up, starting to walk back to her chair.

But, just as quickly... She pauses: Facing him.

Inara concludes, "if you agree to do this, you'll be compensated. I'll see to it. I've put a little aside..."

With a real serious look... Mal insists, "you can keep your money. Won't be needing no payment for gettin' a man such as him what's comin' to him."

With a very faint smile... Inara says, "thank you. I'll contact Nandi at once."

Mal concludes, "I'll speak with the crew."

He starts to leave the shuttle.

But... Inara interjects, "but you will be paid. I feel it's important that we try to go back to payment as usual."

Mal turns back to her, standing there.

Mal asks, "you think so?"

With some mixed feelings... Inara concludes, "we're recently back from a criminal crackdown. And, even with the kind of pretty sum of money Jayne came back with... It could be good for the crew: Because with us, money tends to go quickly. And, we can't always just have money handed over to us."

Kind of stunned... Mal figures, "you're right. We've gotten ourselves in worse scrapes. But...thank you."

With a faint grin... Inara adds, "you're welcome Mal."

Mal turns to leave. But...he suddenly turns back to Inara.

Mal wonders, "just out of a itch of curiousness... Your first meeting with her didn't happen to take place in someone's pants, would it?"

Inara faintly chuckles a little at the question.

Inara suggests, "not exactly. We were in separate Companion houses. All we did was sneak out on occasion to play in each other's dresses. But, yes: That also applies. If I stay long enough, we might again."

In a brief cutaway... A younger Inara and a younger Nandi are in a rock garden, under the cover of night.

Inara is on top of Nandi.

They're lying by a boulder: Making out, topless...and with some faint chuckles and groans of sexual volumes.

And, as they keep going... They toss more and more of their clothes out to the smoothed out rock path.

Back on present Inara's shuttle...

Sounding real amused... Mal remarks, "well...seems even Companions in houses from on high can sin."

A little red in the face... And, as though it was obvious... Inara concludes, "yes, they can. But, all we did was play on occasion. Many Companions that are also best friends tend to feel more: Even if it's just on occasion. And, in spite of what most teachers at the Companion Houses would like you to think, that's not really much a sin."

Mal is all too quick to point out, "but you let Saffron kiss you."

Inara suddenly glares fiercely.

From her reaction... Mal gets a nervous look in his eyes.

Inara comments, "because I was stupid to let her come on Serenity. I should have reported her to The Alliance. She is nothing but sins and lies. I don't know what Jayne could ever see in her! She should have stayed locked up in the trash bin: With the gos se! Least then she wouldn't have escaped and..."

Silent tears fall from her face. She's bent over as she shakily stands there.

Very uncomfortably... Mal goes, "hey now. Hey!"

With his hands firmly steadying her... Mal tells her, "Inara...I weren't looking to get you all-fired. Dong ma?"

Inara looks up to him.

She's teary eyed still. But, she very faintly nods.

Mal lets her go.

Inara keeps herself upright.

Mal points out, "I ain't defending her nor him. But, we got plans for stopping them if it come to it. Don't we or do we now?"

Solemnly... Inara admits, "you're right. I just... Hard sniffle! I worry about those two, Mal: Especially her."

Solemnly... Mal concludes, "yeah. That is mighty fair."

Inara adds, "thank you." Mal adds, "right."

The teariness in Inara's eyes is starting to dry.

Mal figures, "I'll go tell the crew 'bout the whorehouse. I'll even check all the crates."

He starts heading out of the shuttle.

With a very faint smile... Inara says, "good. Thank you. But...could I be left alone for now? Please?"

Without a second thought... Mal says, "okay."

He then leaves her be.

Not long after, with everyone aside from Inara assembled in the cargo hold...

Zoe lays it out, "those who have a mind to are welcome to join. Those who just as soon stay on the ship can do that too."

Stanton figures, "I might as well stay. Someone's got to watch the ship case Rance and his men try to pull something here. Soon as they do, I get them shot."

With just a faint nod... Mal concludes, "all right Stanton. Soon as we dock, see to it."

Sounding all too happy... Stanton adds, "all right. I'll be ready for this challenge!"

He heads up the metal stairs for his ammo and other guns.

Zoe and Wash very faintly smirk.

Jayne figures, "I think he got something of a point. Don't much see the benefit in getting involved in strangers's troubles without a upfront price negotiated."

Book is quick to point out, "these people need assistance. The benefit wouldn't necessarily be for you."

Jayne says, "that's what I'm sayin', preacher. You all can get involved and git. But, far as I figure it, I ain't seeing one 'side from Stanton's here."

Zoe figures, "no one's gonna force you to go, Jayne. As has been stated, this job is strictly speculative."

With a faint smirk... Jayne goes, "good. Don't know these folks, don't much care to."

Kind of amused and kind of not... Kaylee wonders, "cause you already spoken for?"

Briefly turning to her... Jayne asks, "what are you meaning?"

Sounding a little amused... Mal challenges, "they're whores, Jayne. But, if you got your pants on tight with..."

Confidently... Jayne goes, "ain't so tight on me nor her, Mal. I'm in."

Mal mutters lowly, "gorramit!"

Wash, Zoe, and Simon faintly laugh. River just sighs annoyedly: Like it was painfully obvious to her as soon as Jayne came to the cargo bay.

Kaylee is chuckling loudly: Struggling to catch her breath some.

Everyone aside from River and Kaylee start to leave the cargo hold.

Bittersweetly... Zoe says, "sorry sir. Looks as though Saffron got him good so far."

With concern... Mal adds, "yeah: So far."

With a very faint smirk... Wash comments, "well Jayne, you know how to pick 'em plum crazy."

Jayne glares warningly at him.

Nervously... Wash is quick to add, "going now."

He's running up the metal stairs.

Over his shoulder... Mal calls to him, "soon as you can breathe Wash, remember to plot a course!"

Wash calls back, "on it!"

Zoe looks a little amused at Wash as he runs past.

She though runs up to catch up with him.

Soon, Kaylee has left in a hurry to see if they're ok.

As he starts to leave... Book pauses.

Sounding both intrigued and yet not... Book remarks, "your relationship with Saffron...it's very odd. Are you sure you're not going to the special hell yourself?"

Jayne glares.

He storms off up the metal stairs, shaking his head and huffing to himself.

Book very faintly smiles. And, he just says, "ah."

River is now lying on the floor, laughing loudly to herself.

In Nandi's bordello the Heart of Gold, soon as everyone aside from Stanton is coming in...

Looking much happier now... Inara comes towards Nandi.

As for the others present from Mal's crew... They politely nod and greet the whores.

River gets uneasy when she's looking around at some of the whores.

She isn't all sure why: Just that a thought from one of their minds is one she really doesn't like.

But, she brushes it off quick: Thinking with genius intellect it's very likely a kink among many she's uneasy of.

Nandi's coming down from the set of stairs off to the side of the bar counter.

By the steps... They pull each other into a big hug.

Inara greets her, "Nandi, darling." Nandi greets her, "it's so good to see you, Mei Mei."

They then pull away.

Warmly... Inara tells her, "you look wonderful."

At a near whisper... Nandi reflects, "and you look exactly the same as the day I left. How do you do that out here with your medical condition?"

Looking wide eyed... Inara whispers, "oh my god: Please don't tell him."

With a smile... Nandi lightly remarks, "why'd you think I took my time freshening up?"

Inara faintly smiles with relief.

In a almost stoic way... Mal suddenly interjects, "cause Inara can freshen up from sheer force of will?"

Inara gives him a slight warning glare. Zoe stands back, expecting worse to come.

Nandi though looks a little amused.

Nandi comments, "you're lucky I know 'head of time you coulda been trying. Or, I'd get to teaching you some manners 'stead of her."

Inara faintly chuckles. Her glare seems to fade.

Overhearing the comment... Zoe walks back to Mal: Looking real amused by it.

Mal looks a little stunned.

Trying to seem like it's nothing... Mal figures, "well, I'm gonna try not to take that personal."

With a very faint smile... Nandi firmly says, "as will I."

Mal very faintly smiles back.

Inara formally introduces, "Nandi, this is Malcolm Reynolds."

Nandi firmly shakes Mal's hand.

Mal says, "well, any dear friend of Inara's is a friend of mine. This is my first mate, Zoe. I'll introduce you to the rest later. They're good folk."

From by the bar... And, unashamedly so... Jayne calls out, "can I start getting sexed already?"

He's got Helen by the shoulder as he's pointing at her. Helen is just grinning though.

Then, Jayne and her start talking: All grins.

Uncomfortable sounding... Mal comments, "well, that one's kind of horrific and all 'round questionable. But, I can take care of him if it real come to it."

Zoe and Inara faintly smirk at that.

Nandi tilts up a little sideways: Like as though to check if there's another guy like Jayne behind Mal.

But, just as quickly, she tilts her head back.

Zoe asks, "can we talk business?"

With a slightly raised arm towards the side lounge... Nandi indicates, "in here."

Turning to the others... Nandi says, "the rest of you...there's food and some liquor at the sideboard. Make yourselves at home."

She faintly smiles at the last part.

Then... Nandi starts to lead Mal, Inara, and Zoe to the lounge.

Looking all smiles... Kaylee looks at the two young boy whores on the couch.

Kaylee goes, "look, they got boy whores! Isn't that thoughtful? Wonder if they service girlfolk at all."

Wash comments lowly, "let's not ask."

Kind of nervously... Simon is quick to ask, "isn't there a pregnant woman I'm to examine?"

While Simon goes to medically check on Petaline and her unborn baby...

Nandi, Mal, Zoe, and Inara are in the lounge talking.

Mal reasons, "I take it reason doesn't enter into this?"

Nandi figures, "Not with Rance Burgess. The man is a taker."

Zoe checks, "you think the kid is his?"

Firmly... Nandi insists, "I think it's Petaline's."

Inara starts to say, "but the blood test..."

Nandi considers, "well, he did favor Petaline pretty exclusively. But, she had others. Fifty-fifty: Not that it matters. The man ain't fit to raise a cactus plant. His barren prairie shrew can't bear him an heir...so he takes it into his head to pull it outta us. That's not gonna happen."

With a faint smile... Mal concludes, "I see that: That it ain't happening with least you and Inara 'round."

Zoe looks a bit amused. Inara faintly smiles.

With a faint smile... Nandi says, "thank you. But, I assure you I also know how to hold a gun."

A little surprised... Mal adds, "I regret then the mite misunderstanding."

With a slightly raised arm... Nandi insists, "it's all right."

Nandi suddenly changes back to what they've been mostly talking on.

With a tight focused look... Nandi highlights, "but, you see the way we live here...which ain't at all right. Go into town, it's the same. Some places come up rustic 'cause they ain't got more'n the basics. Rance Burgess has money enough to build a city: A real community. He keeps people living like this so he can play cowboy, be the one with the best toys. Turned this moon into a gorram theme park. Someone stand up to him... Soon he means to burn me out."

She blinks a little more at the last part.

Mal walks over closer to her.

Mal comments, "yeah. He sounds like a fun guy. I'd like to meet him."

Nandi tilts her head up: Almost challengingly.

Nandi deduces, "this won't be solved with talk. I know him well enough to know it."

Mal counters, "I ain't arguing that point. Still... I'm gonna fight a man, it helps to size him up."

Nandi tilts her head back a little.

With a softer tone... Nandi considers, "well, he'll be at the theatre tonight. That's a certainty."

Mal decides, "then so will I."

Mal then suddenly turns to Inara.

He asks her, "Inara...think you can stoop to being on my arm?"

With a faint smile... Inara asks him, "will you wash it first?"

Nandi smiles.

Zoe faintly smirks. Mal smiles at the light dig himself.

That night, at the local theatre...

A circular shadow representing Earth-That-Was starts to fill the frame.

Silhouetted shapes appear of spaceships, moving out from the shadow sphere.

A narrator with traditional Chinese attire stands before the backlit screen across which the shadows play.

Further out in the theatre... Patrons in high-heels and flowerpot sole-shoes mill about as the show continues on.

Rance himself is lording over a particular little crowd.

With some fingers up from his hand... Rance is in the middle of saying, "... so I told the boy: You take a clean woman's virtue, you take the woman. And that's for life. And..."

All too certain sounding... One of the men there guesses, "boy said his vows right then and there."

Rance comments, "took very little persuading on my part. Boys respect a pistol: Always have."

He pats his laser pistol at the last part, hanging on his belt.

His audience is laughing with disturbing higher and higher frequency: Almost like a pounding of war drums.

Now Mal is among them...laughing louder than any of them.

Soon, everyone's staring at him and Inara. Mal though just faintly smiles in reaction.

In a very unclear way... Mal comments, "nice to know there's some places left in the Verse where old-fashioned values still mean something."

Mal briefly turns to Rance's wife Belinda.

Then... He asks Inara, "isn't that right, dear?"

With a forced smile of her own... Inara just adds, "mmmm."

Rance's little crowd has moved on to talk amongst themselves and more little crowds around.

Rance raises some fingers from his hand, pointing to Mal.

Rance concludes, "I think I know you. But, then again... So many guests from around the Core. They can't all be rich. Some are just hired on from low class."

With a faint forced smile... Mal adds, "mmm."

Mal introduces himself, "name's Malcolm. Malcolm Reynolds."

They shake hands: With Mal kind of leaning over some.

As he does... He says, "and might I just say? She is quite a beauty."

Seeming all too happy over something... Rance adds, "well, thank you."

Then... Rance wonders, "ever have occasion to handle one, Mister Reynolds?"

He unholsters his laser pistol. He even turns it on: Red and blue strip lights lit from it.

Mal shakes his head a little.

As he holds it... And, all too happily... Rance adds, "silk trigger active return bolt laster."

He's then offering it to Mal to hold.

Mal takes the laser pistol, looking it over.

Mal comments, "lighter than it looks. Thought it'd have some more heft to it."

With a faint smile... Rance insists, "oh, no. Don't let that fool you. Won't find technology like that short of The Alliance. And even their issues don't yet have the auto-target adjust. Had that one crafted special."

With a faint smile... Mal observes, "didn't think weapons such as this were generally legal: For a private owner, I mean."

All the while... Inara is holding a forced smile.

Belinda gets up from the dark red cushioned chair: Seeming all too quick to stand with Rance.

Belinda points out, "my husband makes a distinction between legality and morality, Mister Reynolds."

Mal glances over at Belinda. He stays that way for a bit.

Mal then faintly remarks, "I've said that myself."

Confidently... Rance concludes, "bending one unjust law is a small thing when it comes to protecting one's family. You fought with Private Declan in the war: I'm sure you know what I mean."

The forced smile fades from Mal's face.

Sounding a little stunned... Mal politely figures, "I think I understand you. What I don't exactly is how you knew. I thought you didn't know me."

He tosses the laser pistol kind of hard back to Rance.

Rance catches it though: Completely unphased by it.

Rance faintly laughs. He pinpoints, "I didn't till I heard your name. Everyone in the Verse saw what happened on Verbena, Mister Reynolds. Well...what was left to broadcast on waves. Tragic day."

Belinda doesn't say much. But, she gets a little teary eyed.

Mal solemnly adds, "yes, it was."

In a creepy kind of way... Rance reflects, "but, moving on has its own rewards. As you say...she is a beauty."

He holds the laser pistol up as he does.

Inara uncomfortably looks his way. But, Rance doesn't notice.

Belinda lets the teariness in her eyes dry up.

Mal adds, "she sure is."

Cuttingly... He's quick to also add, "of course, I was really referring to the lady."

Mal faintly nods to Belinda. She very faintly smiles.

Mal says, "ma'am."

Mal lightly pulls Inara away. She hastily and gladly follows him out.

Around then, while Inara and Mal are heading back to the Heart of Gold...

In a kind of private corner of the theatre... Rance is on his cell phone.

He checks, "and there can be no mistake? Good."

With a grin... Rance snaps the cell phone shut.

Expectantly... Belinda checks, "Rance?"

All too confidently... Rance answers, "the DNA matches. The child is mine."

* * *

 _Act II_

Not long after, with everyone gathered around on the ground floor of the Heart of Gold...

Even Stanton is there: Standing back of the lobby.

Kind of awkwardly... Mal says, "we run."

From a distance... Nandi seems to be stoic about it. But, she's also teary eyed.

Mal's crew looks a little surprised: Not sure yet how to react.

Mal continues, "math just don't add up. Our weapons store aren't exactly overpowerin' at the moment, and I don't much like what we'd be up against..."

Finding it hard to look up... Mal breaks it down, "nothing worse than a monster who thinks he's right with God that knows the real me well enough. We might turn Burgess away once, but he'll keep comin'... Won't stop 'till he gets what he thinks is his. So we run: Come back with their pants down and fight them then."

Most everyone seems stoic and uncertain. Nandi is blinking a lot, trying to hold back tears.

A little somberly... Nandi deduces, "I understand, Captain Reynolds. You have your people to think of, same as me. But, you get back then... This fight ain't got much a prayer."

With a serious tone... Mal explains more simply, "I don't believe you do understand, Nandi. I said "we" run. We: My people. Your people. And, whatever bits of precious you got in this house you can't bear to part with. We load up Serenity and leave Burgess in the dust 'fore my crew comes back to finish this fight: 'cause we ain't running long."

Nandi moderately sighs.

She uses a flowery pinkish white handkerchief to wipe lingering teariness from her eyes.

Then... Nandi steps closer to Mal.

And, with a intense firm look... Nandi concludes, "you're a better man than most, Captain Reynolds. But, it took me years to cut this piece of territory out of other men's hands: To build this business up from nothing."

With the last part in particular... Mal is quick to try to argue, "Nandi..."

Undeterred... Nandi insists, "it's who I am, and it's my home. I'm not going anywhere."

Mal tries to point out, "he'll kill you: Kill every last one of us if it come to it. And, he'll sleep well that night."

Nandi concludes firmly, "Rance Burgess is just a man... And I won't let any man take what's mine. I doubt you'd do different in my position."

There's a cooled off kind of silence.

After a bit... Mal slightly shakes his head.

With a faint smile... Mal remarks, "well lady, I must say...you're my kinda stupid."

Nandi smiles back to him.

With a faint grin... Jayne comments, "ah hell, he ain't expectin' much of a fight from this here whorehouse. Might be we still catch him with his drawers low."

Mal raises his eyebrows to him, looking a bit amused.

Simon and most of the women there faintly roll their eyes annoyedly: Nandi also.

But soon, with the new plan... Everyone seems to be all faint smiles.

That is, aside from Petaline. But, it's hard for anyone to smile when having contractions.

Late at night...

Zoe has slept in some. She woke up for night watch: In case Rance tries something in the middle of the night.

But, she's also helping checking on Petaline some so Inara doesn't have to all night.

In Nandi's room...

Mal and Nandi are sitting on her couch. Inara is sitting on the edge of the bed, facing them.

They have been drinking rice wine. But, Inara stopped at one glass: Whereas her two dear friends haven't.

It's after the story with Nandi and the dulcimer. Inara was faintly grinning while Nandi told it.

Nandi recalls, "so I trucked out to the border, learned to say ain't, came to find work. Found this place."

Mal figures casually, "it's a nice place."

Inara is quick to point out, "it wasn't always a respectable one."

Nandi explains solemnly, "it was a dung heap: Run by a pig who had half the girls strung out on drops. There's no Guild out here. They let men run the houses and they weren't asking for references none. We didn't get along."

Mal wonders, "and where's he at now?"

Nandi lightly remarks, "let's just say he ain't playing the dulcimer anymore either."

They clink glasses: Both faintly smiling. Inara very faintly smirks.

Mal and Nandi drink another glass.

Turning to her... Mal says, "you are a remarkable woman, if you don't mind my saying."

With a seductive smile... Nandi concludes, "well... As long as it's you saying it, and not my fine rice wine."

She starts to pull herself closer to him.

But, with a raised eyebrow... Inara kind of interrupts with, "and what am I to you, Mal? Just someone to parade around with to entice crooks and clients for business?"

Mal takes a heavy breath.

He admits, "Nandi, Inara... Heavy sigh. I'm trying to be less business like. But..."

With a faint smirk... Nandi pinpoints, "I don't see much wrong in running things that way. It's when a man takes things that don't belong to him where it's got real harm. But, long as you ain't trying to be, I don't see the harm."

Sounding like he's caught with his pants down... Mal brings it out in the open, "I have a confession to make: You are both remarkable. It takes more'n a few drinks to render my judgment blurry. Still... Many months 'round you... I still don't real know your story, what you might be running from... You're a mighty mystery, Inara."

With a wide grin... Inara suggests, "well, if you keep flirting with me...maybe I'll do more than answer you."

Turning to Nandi... Mal wonders, "what about you? Am I getting any prettier?"

With a smile... Nandi tells him, "by the minute."

She starts to wrap her arm around him. Mal starts to wrap his arm around her.

Inara starts to come over to them.

Then though... Looking nervous... Mal starts to turn: About ready to get up.

Mal figures, "I should check the barricades: Make sure everyone's ready to..."

Nandi mostly assures him, "everyone's asleep. Well, them as can...night before a fight."

With a very faint smile... Mal turns back to her. He stays sitting.

Inara questions, "can you?"

Mal asks, "what?"

Nandi figures, "sleep?"

For a bit... A blurred image of a dead mostly unclothed woman creeps back in Mal's mind.

Mal is hunched over...trying hard to ignore it.

With a comforting hand on his... Inara tells him, "Mal...please: Don't try to ignore your feelings. We know you want to take to bed with us."

After a bit... Mal moderately sighs with some relief.

With a faint smile... Mal concludes, "well ladies... If I'm overstepping my bounds, you let me know."

Looking right at him... Inara reveals solemnly, "Mal... There is one prayer I was afraid would never be answered. Since I came back to Serenity, I've been praying for this. I was afraid you'd never feel that way with me...and that it would be worse for us as friends than not knowing. For this once though, I'm very glad I'm wrong."

With a very faint smirk... Mal adds, "you'll get no argument here."

Inara beams at the comment.

On impulse... Nandi pulls Mal close with both her arms.

Nandi reveals, "and Malcolm, jen mei NAI-shing duh FWO-tzoo...I been waiting for you to kiss me since I showed you my guns."

She kisses Mal: Softly and firmly.

He pulls Nandi closer.

Then... Inara goes, "ahem."

Nandi and Mal both pull away: Suddenly remembering they're not alone.

Nandi blushes a little. Mal looks awkwardly unsure.

Nandi apologizes, "I'm sorry, Mei Mei. I weren't meaning to impose. You wanted to be first?"

With a faint smile... Inara assures them both, "no: It's ok. We've been dear friends for many years, Nandi. We're in your house. You're also the host. Just let me be the second."

Nandi figures, "go right ahead. I'm sure he don't mind."

Mal comments lightly, "well, least we're all getting mighty comfortable."

With a playful smile... Inara says, "yes: We are."

Inara not so lightly pulls him up by his belt and then his collar.

Much to Nandi's amusement... Mal goes, "ah! Could you kindly watch where you pulling?"

Sounding a little uneasy... Inara says, "sorry. How is this?"

Much more lightly... Inara and Mal are making out: Inara's arms completely wrapped around his upper body, hands feeling up between their shoulders.

Mal wraps his arms around her side, feeling her up.

After a bit... They pull away: Catching their breath a little.

Stunned sounding... And, with a faint smile... Mal says, "whoa. That was more pleasing."

Inara beams.

Standing now behind Mal... Nandi questions, "so, my child... How 'bout you bed us?"

Mal concludes, "all right. But...do you mind I plan to take it real slow?"

Seductively... Nandi adds, "long as you remember where everything goes."

With a faint smile... Inara assures, "long as you don't leave me too sleepy so I can be there for Petaline when the baby comes... I really won't mind."

Soon... They're taking turns making out on the bed: Topless, and mostly while sitting up.

All the while... More and more clothes are falling to the side of the bed.

And, through the early dawn... Faint chuckles and groans of sexual volumes fill the room.

Meanwhile... Chari has been in bed early because of saying she had some food poisoning.

From under her covers though... All there is are a bunch of pillows.

* * *

 _Act III_

The next morning...

As the dawn gives way to day... Inara is the first of the three to wake up.

Inara gently brushes her hand over Mal's hair.

She's tempted to touch him all over.

But, expecting Petaline to be up soon... She kind of hurriedly gets up.

Inara gets cleaned up and gets dressed...only to realize Petaline recently got up soon as she was done.

She goes to check on Petaline. But, she's faintly grinning and faintly chuckling to herself all the way.

Soon after... Mal starts to turn quite a bit.

In his mind...

Mal finds himself surrounded by very dim fog, holding his shotgun.

Nightmare River cries, "you're a killer, Mal! You'll always be a killer. Go...before my crew gets hurt. You're only hurting them by wrapping closer to them. You're only hurting my crew: Go!"

Mal cries out, "leave me be: I'm...I don't want to...!"

But, the echoes keep coming. They keep ringing again and again.

Mal feels his arms burning...boiling from the boiling drops of fog.

With tears running down his face... He cries out, "I don't deser..! Faint sob. No! I don't want to cut lo... No!"

He can't take it anymore.

Not seeing so much as a bucket of water... He angrily fires his shotgun into the fog.

He fires...only for the scene to change.

It changes to the bedroom.

And, lying on the bed...are Inara and Nandi shot dead.

Dark red liquid seeps into the sheets.

He checks Inara's and Nandi's pulses. But...nothing.

Mal grabs the nearest medkit. But...nothing in there but sharp surgical knives.

He violently kicks the medkit away: Letting it smash with many clinking surgical knives on the floor.

Teary eyed... He murmurs, "Inara? Nandi? Gorramnit! Faint sob. No."

He then sits restless on the edge of the bed.

And, with tears falling... Mal cries out, "no! !"

Out of the nightmare...

Mal wakes up with a startle: Teary eyed.

He almost wakes up Nandi. But, she just sleeps soundly some more.

Mal heavy sighs.

He sits there for a while.

When Nandi starts to stir though... Mal kind of shakily walks out.

He sits by the fortifications...looking out to the desert horizon.

He nervously looks to his shotgun against the wall, which he already brought out.

Mal doesn't even come for breakfast.

Taking notice among the others... Nandi comes with a silver tray of butter, bread, and eggs.

Sounding kind of distant... Mal says, "morning. How 're you?"

Uneasily... Nandi admits, "mite tense. But, you're real tense. Case you got hungry, I brought you breakfast."

With a very faint smile... Mal says, "that's real kindly of you Nandi. Thank you. But, I'm okay."

Nandi puts down the silver tray by him.

With a stern look... Nandi points out, "you're not givin' me the whole truth, Malcolm. What is it?"

Mal heavily sighs. He points out, "you both know I don't like complications. But...I'm feeling one now. And, I ain't like the feeling."

Nandi tilts her head slightly up.

With concern... Nandi questions, "is it one of us? 'cause it real didn't seem..."

A little teary eyed... Mal sums up, "no. I mean every pretty word 'bout you and Inara. Just... Heavy sigh. After the job is not on my mind...I real hoping it ain't complicated to tell."

With a very faint smile... Nandi says, "I hope for that too. I can let Inara know for you."

She puts a comforting hand on his arm.

With a very faint smile... Mal firmly says, "I appreciate that."

Nandi then leaves him be.

As time goes on... Mal eats some bread and some of the eggs.

Inara can't help but check on him too: Even though she just knew Mal would tell her the same story.

With a very faint uneasy smile... She puts a comforting hand on his.

Then, she leaves him be.

With his radio earwig... Mal checks in with the others: Not moving from the spot.

Over the radio earwigs...

Kaylee asks him what's wrong...only for Mal to cut off the transmission on his end with the press of a button.

Not long after that... Jayne reports, "Mal! Looks like we got some imminent violence!"

In Serenity's cargo bay, in the midst of the shootout with Rance's thirty seven men...

Wash and Kaylee have fallen back behind some crates.

Seven of Rance's men are coming from along the upper catwalk.

With a moderately loud choo... Wash is firing back with his pistol.

Two men fall dead, with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

Then... Stanton is seen wrestling over his shotgun with one of the men.

With some loud choos... Random shots go off, lining some of the crates with holes.

A little amused... Wash calls to him, "too much for you to handle, Stanton?!"

Stanton rams the man violently into the railing of the catwalk.

He falls back down: Coughing violently and clutching his side.

Stanton has some dark red liquid dripping from his side. But, he stands his ground.

With some loud choos... Stanton shoots his shotgun into two of the men.

They fall dead, with some dark red liquid splatter.

With a faint laugh... Stanton calls back, "no: This is a all right morning. Go!"

With some very faint smiles of relief... Kaylee and Wash make a run for the hall.

Over the radio on the floor... Mal calls out, "Wash...where the hell is my spaceship!?"

One man is on the sets of stairs on the other side...about to take a shot at Kaylee and Wash with his shotgun.

But, just then... He's shot dead by Stanton.

One of Rance's men calls out, "get them!"

Three men almost get through the door. But...Wash shuts it right into them.

They double back over themselves in a pile. Their shotguns go flying.

They're trying to get up. But, one of them is groaning violently on the floor on top of them.

From the other side of the door... Wash laughs almost manically.

Confidently... He taunts, "Got you, you niao SE duh DOO-gway!"

From the galley... Kaylee calls back, "Wash! We gotta help the Captain."

A little embarrassed sounding... Wash comments, "I know that. I'm coming."

Kaylee smirks back to him.

She heads for the cockpit. Wash heads for the engine room.

Then... They stop to breathe a bit: Both realizing that they're going the wrong way.

They soon run in the opposite directions: Kaylee to the engine room, and Wash to the cockpit.

Around then, back at the Heart of Gold...

Mal and Nandi are up on the balcony...firing at Rance's men along with the armed boy and girl whores.

In the midst of the shooting though... Mal pauses a bit: Looking out to the horizon.

Over his radio earwig... Mal realizes, "Jayne... I lost visual on Burgess."

Annoyedly... Jayne reports back, "same here."

Then, over the radio earwigs... Zoe reports, "I see him, sir. He ain't alone neither."

With a satisfied smirk... Mal goes back to shooting.

Outside...

Serenity flies over for a good long pass over Rance's men.

Several of the horses get spooked...bucking some of Rance's men off.

Many a bullet from a misaimed shotgun goes off in the sky.

Zoe is run charging for Rance's hovercraft...only to find one of his men on foot aiming at her.

The mercenary with Rance has got a metallic bulletproof vest on and a machine gun.

Zoe gets a little wide eyed at seeing the machine gun.

With some loud tight focused choos... The mercenary fires.

Zoe tumbles out of range of the incoming gun shells.

As she gets up... She shoots the mercenary in the arm.

The mercenary drops the machine gun, clutching his dark red liquid dripping arm.

But, he fast walks into the back with Rance.

Zoe runs after them.

But, from behind the slightly ajar door... The mercenary gets out a pistol.

And, before she could see it coming... He shoots Zoe in the side.

She groans violently on the ground, clutching her side.

Over her radio earwig... Zoe reluctantly reports, "I'm down, sir. Violent groan. Rance is coming through the back for the baby with one of them mercenary types."

Nandi hears this over Mal's radio earwig.

As he loads his shotgun... Mal says, "I'm going 'round the back."

Nandi firmly nods.

Mal breaks into a fast walk, going rightward along the winding hall.

Nandi drops her shotgun.

She opens her nearby chest of guns in the corner.

She gets out her golden pistol...when she hears Petaline screaming.

Worriedly... Nandi runs downstairs, heading for the back.

Soon as Nandi sees Rance with the baby and the laser pistol... She hides her pistol behind her back.

Kind of nervously... Nandi says, "Rance. Most of your men are either dead, dyin', or run off."

With a faint creepy smirk... Rance says, "oh, that don't matter none. I got what I came here for."

With a intense glare... Nandi says, "ain't leaving here with it."

Some shots are heard from behind the back door. A loud thud is soon heard.

In cold anger... Rance mutters back, "this is my blood, woman. And, you know who I'm thinking of shooting now? Cause it ain't my blood. You're just a whore!"

Rance starts to turn his laser pistol away from the baby...when dark red liquid drips a little from his neck.

With a tense tone... Inara threatens, "no: This is your blood."

Her knife is by his throat...as some more dark red liquid drips from his neck.

With a faint satisfied smile... Inara nods over to a nearby whore.

Turning back to Rance... Inara tells him, "now you hand that child over nice and slow, or I'll spill more than you can spare."

With clenched teeth, Rance winces at his neck wound.

He very reluctantly complies, handing the baby over to the whore.

She breaks into a fast walk around the corner.

As she does though... Rance elbows Inara violently in the stomach.

Inara staggers back with a violent groan against the floor.

Nandi draws out her golden pistol. But, with the laser pistol already out, Rance is drawing faster.

Just then... The door swings opens.

With shotgun out... Mal orders, "drop it: Now!"

Rance frustratedly sighs.

Nandi very faintly smirks. So does Inara: Despite some violent coughs.

Rance drops the laser pistol.

But, just as quickly... He bends down to it.

And, from the ground... Rance fires.

Caught off guard... Nandi jumps back, barely avoiding the laser.

But, as she does... Nandi hits the wall hard.

She doubles over against it...coughing a little before the rising smoke and flames.

Soon, she's coughing violently: Struggling to breathe.

Teary eyed... Inara cries out, "no!"

She's struggling to get up: Still coughing violently some.

Meanwhile... With his gun... Book has splintered off some barricades.

He then switches back to the water nozzle.

Through a then clear open window... He's putting out the fire inside as swiftly as he can.

But, even then... Plenty of smoke is still coming from the hall.

Mal shoots at Rance.

But, Rance lies flat on the floor...letting the bullet go right past him.

Looking real furious... Mal throws down the shotgun.

He kicks violently at Rance.

Very nervous now... Rance very nearly doesn't crawl away from Mal's foot.

Mal's foot hits the wall instead.

He's tempted to clutch his foot in throbbing pain. But...he shakes it off just as quick.

By then, Rance is on his feet: Drawing his laser pistol again.

With a heavy sigh of relief... Rance creepily smirks.

It's short lived though...when Mal tackles him head on.

He violently punches Rance...through the open window and the gushing in water.

Rance lands violently against the desert sand.

His clothes are soaked. He's coughing dark red liquid and water from his mouth.

The laser pistol is lying on the ground.

At least by now though... The fire is out.

Very worried... Inara rushes over to Nandi.

Nandi's dress is burnt all over. But, a clenched hand is still on her pistol.

Inara bends over Nandi's body to check her pulse.

Meanwhile... Rance is just starting to breathe again.

He desperately reaches for his laser pistol...only to hear some sloshing from inside.

He tries to fire it as a test. But...nothing.

On the laser pistol's display... He finds this electronic message on it:

Check battery for water.

With a frustrated groan... Rance throws the laser pistol away.

Then... Mal grabs him from behind.

Teary eyed... Mal says, "you're going to pay for what you took, you son of a bitch."

He punches Rance in the side...making him violently cough some.

Then... Mal pulls him up.

He violently punches him...over and over.

Dark red liquid shoots out from Rance's mouth.

He falls unconscious on the ground: Heavily bruised all over.

Mal goes to punch him again...when a familiar hand from behind reaches over his arm.

Teary eyed... Inara says to him, "Mal...please. You already got the bastard."

Mal takes some short breaths.

Then... Mal shoots back, "Inara...the ruttin' son of a bitch murdered Nandi!"

Tears were falling from his face as he was near screaming it.

With comforting hands on his sides... Inara tells him, "no, Mal: She's not dead. She's burnt. But, it's nothing Simon can't tend to. Please: Let Nandi judge him for who he is. Let it go, Mal. Let him live."

Mal heavily sighs in relief.

He shakily stands down, unclenching his hands.

With a very uneasy expression... Inara hugs him tight.

Some lingering bittersweet tears fall from her face.

Mal shakily puts a hand over one of Inara's.

And, for a while... They just stay that way...over Rance's heavily bruised unconscious body.

Not very long after, with the sun still up...

With Petaline considering being next in line for running the Heart of Gold... And also out of a general respect for Petaline's wishes... Nandi left judgment of Rance, his captured men, and Chari to her to see how she does.

Nandi sticks around near her in case Petaline needs help...only it turns out Petaline really doesn't need it.

A little teary eyed... Nandi very faintly smiles her way.

As she goes back inside... Petaline just uncomfortably nods a little to her: A little teary eyed herself.

There's a funeral for the dead boy and girl whores...including Lucy: Who died in that last fire.

That night, on Serenity...

Inara is awkwardly standing in the hall...in front of the slightly open door to Mal's bunk.

Teary eyed... Inara highlights, "Mal... Faint sniffle. I know you don't feel like talking. Just... Moderate sigh. Just please at least hear what I want to say. I learned something from Nandi: Not just from what happened, but from her. The family she made, the strength of her love for them...that's what keeps them together. When you live with that kind of strength, you get tied to it. You can't break away and you never want to. I guess that is what I've always felt on Serenity: Even though you called me a whore on many occasions. But, with you and Nandi...it feels more than that. And, even if you weren't trying to be less business like... I know you want to be both my lover and Nandi's lover."

There's a awkward silence.

Then... From all the way down in Mal's bunk... Mal solemnly says, "that's a kindness. I ain't sure it can make this new complication go away. I wish it were that damn simple. Faint sniffle. I really do, Inara. But...thank you."

Teary eyed... Inara says, "you're welcome."

She takes a deep breath.

Then... Inara points out, "we want to help you, Mal. But, how can we when we don't even know what it is that is hurting you this much?"

Pained sounding... Mal answers, "Inara... If it were as simple as telling you...you don't think I would've?"

Inara sighs deeply: Trying to hold back tears with closed eyes.

Opening her eyes again... Inara uncomfortably figures, "Mal... Faint sniffle. I'm not trying to force you to say anything. But, with the history with Nandi and her guns... You think maybe you could more easy talk to her about it?"

After a bit... Mal says, "I real don't know. But... I'll least think on it."

Very reluctantly... Inara concludes, "all right. I wish you could tell me. But, if that's what's good for you now...I want you to be okay."

She stands there. But...no answer.

After what seems to be a long while... She hears something much worse.

For, down in his bunk... Mal is sitting bent over on the edge of his bed: Teary eyed...and faintly sobbing.

Pained tears just keep falling.

Inara closes the door to his bunk.

She fast walks away...all the way to the center catwalk over the cargo bay.

She seems alone.

Bent over the railing... Inara starts to cry.

But... As some tears fall... She suddenly hears someone.

She wipes the teariness from her eyes.

She then turns around... finding River up here all a sudden.

Inara looks startled.

Before she can say something though... River says something.

Cryptically and teary eyed... River concludes, "he thinks he's hollow. But, he's really afraid. He has a heart of gold. But, it weighs heavy. It can take him to clouds. But, really only he can reach them. Faint sniffle."

She sighs uneasily. She says, "sorry. A lot of creaking up in my brain. Can't really say else now."

With a very faint smile... Inara says, "on the contrary: You've said just what I hoped for. Thank you River."

She hugs River. River hugs her back.

They then pull apart.

Inara waves to River, faintly smiling still.

River faintly smiles back.

Soon... Inara walks back to her shuttle to sleep.

Suddenly though... She doesn't feel as broken up as before: Like a great weight has been lifted from her heart.

But, even if the weight comes over her heart again... A heart of gold is always shiny and strong in the end.

* * *

 _References Side Note:_

the full Addendum for the Theater Show(from the book Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume Two)


	7. S1, Ep 18: Twin Red Moons

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Twin Red Moons:

 _Teaser_

In the black of space... A Tohoku Class city ship is departing.

In the other way... Shuttle Two is heading back to Serenity.

And, in the pilot's seat... Mal is piloting...wearing a very gray tan dress with a matching bonnet.

He looks furious. But, he's not talking much: All he seems to care about for now is getting back to Serenity.

Finding it hard to look up... Jayne is in the opposite seat.

He's a little teary eyed.

His arms and his chest are burnt. But, he doesn't even seem to notice it.

The remains of his T-shirt is burnt and torn. Dark red liquid is dried up around where the burns are on his skin.

Chillingly nervous sounding... Jayne asks, "aren't you gonna say somethin', Mal?"

Mal faintly laughs.

Then, turning to him... He just as quickly shoots back, "it took most our credits to get you out of Alliance custody! If I weren't dressed as a lady now, I'd hit you for even asking a thing like that."

He tears off the bonnet...letting it fall against the shuttle floor.

Not even so much as glaring... Jayne mutters under his breath, "then why don't you? Hell, I ought to be shot. It don't make no sense. But, I ought to be."

Thinking back to his nightmare... Mal gulps nervously.

The glare in his eyes is near gone.

With a hint of fear in his eyes... Mal concludes, "now that is awful unsettling. We'll be touching down on Serenity soon. But, try not to shoot yourself Jayne: Least before I get some answers straight on what happened."

Jayne just firmly says, "okay."

Mal comments, "gorramit, Jayne. Nothing 'bout it is. Nothing 'bout it is."

He keeps his eyes on the controls as he says it.

He's teary eyed himself. But, he's trying to not let him see: To keep it to himself like he's so used to doing.

Not long after, on Serenity...

Jayne slams shut the door to his bunk.

The whole ship seems to shake.

Some apples and steak were on the table: Recently paid for...before bringing Jayne back onboard.

Dinner that night was tensely quiet. Even River was quiet.

Kaylee and Simon held hands a little in comfort from under the table.

After dinner... Kaylee even brings over some steak leftovers on a tray to his door.

But, from the other side of the door... Jayne just says, "thanks. But...I just ain't hungry now."

Teary eyed... And, with the benefit of the doubt... Kaylee questions nervously, "what's wrong, Jayne?"

No answer.

After a bit... Kaylee somberly sighs heavily.

Some tears fall to the side of the set down tray of leftovers.

And so, with her not sure what else to say that might help him... Kaylee walks back to the engine room.

Not long after that...

Back in his usual trousers and his dark blue undershirt... Mal comes to the door.

He briefly notices the set down tray of leftovers.

He heavily sighs.

Then...he knocks hard on the door.

From the other side of the door... Jayne murmurs tiredly, "what?"

Mal answers, "it's me, Jayne. We still got to talk."

Jayne adds, "door ain't real locked, Mal."

Mal comments offhandedly, "yeah. Of course it ain't."

He opens the door...to find Jayne's many tossed guns and shards of torn up T-shirt scattered on the floor.

Topless... Jayne is sitting on the side of his bed: Looking down.

His vision is blurry some from lack of sleep. His stomach is growling some from lack of food. He didn't care.

He's been letting all the little burns and cuts over him clot themselves and burn.

Teary eyed... Jayne keeps muttering, "it don't make no sense. It don't make no sense. Why did it have to happen, Mal? Why?!"

Kind of ignoring the many guns on the floor... Mal uncomfortably sits beside him.

His hands are clamped together.

Solemnly... Mal assumes, "no: I reckon I don't know why when it come to her neither. But...it looks like Saffron played you good, Jayne. I warned you 'bout her. Figures you had to learn the hard way."

With a slight glare... Jayne starts to say, "Mal..."

Mal asks him tensely, "what? You can't face the damn truth? Is that what is eating at you now?"

Jayne deeply sighs.

After a bit... He just says, "no. Still... Faint sniffle. I ought to start at the start."

Not sure what to make of the first part... Mal concludes kind of uncertainly, "all right Jayne. Tell me straight: What happened when you and Saffron gone and done this job of yours on Londinium?"

* * *

 _Act I_

Earlier, several days before...

Jayne had then recently come back from Serenity.

Saffron figured getting a hotel room again in Bellerophon would be the easiest meeting place for them. But, Jayne kind of wanted to see the cabin again.

The cobblestone fireplace was lit, casting crackling light through the cabin with day giving way to the dark.

Jayne was topless. Saffron was down to her bra.

They were loading and drawing out their most favorite guns. The gold bullet like magnetic latch custom grenades were shown to be back on the back of Vera.

Saffron was faintly grinning as she was drawing out her most favorite gun. Jayne was faintly grinning back.

But, when they were placing them on the bed... Jayne was pausing for a bit.

Sounding concerned... Saffron was asking, "what's wrong Jayne?"

Jayne was figuring, "I noticed you got them papers out for buying a Hanover. What I ain't sure of is why you haven't told me right off."

Saffron sat down kind of awkwardly on the edge of the bed. She was looking down a little while facing him.

Sounding kind of amused and kind of not... Saffron explained, "I know you like things simple. I wanted to surprise you in the morning. But, I think you will really like the surprise I have for you."

A little stunned... Jayne was concluding, "well, call me surprised. It ain't for you? I mean, it's out of your cut."

Saffron laughed.

With a very faint grin... Saffron figured, "not exactly. But, I'm glad I can still thrill you. All right, gunny: I'll tell you now to make you feel better. Then, maybe you can actually get to be on me?"

With a faint grin... Jayne commented lightly, "sure. Sounds like we got ourselves an understanding here."

Saffron titled her head up, then slightly up to him.

Sounding amused... Saffron added with a faint smile, "we sure seem to have ourselves a great lot of them."

Saffron brought up, "remember you said you wanted to get to be captain of your own ship one day?"

Smiling like a kid at Christmas about to unwrap a present... Jayne realized, "you got a Hanover for me?"

With her head titled back to kind of still face him... Saffron explained further, "not just a Hanover class ship. While you were gone, I got it built easy with credits saved from my cut...off the books on Persephone. I even shuffled in some cards in my hand of cards, because I didn't think you would really object to the good old touch of my naked flesh all over your new ship. I just signed off papers on the payoff this afternoon."

Jayne laughed at the second to last part.

With a faint smirk... Jayne figured, "how could I find a thing wrong with your hell of a mind?"

Saffron was blushing a little.

She added, "you are so thoughtful, Jayne. Thank you."

Jayne was kind of quick to add, "sure."

Jayne was more than ready to reach out to Vera...when Saffron put a light hand on his.

Saffron explained, "I know you want to be on me. I also want you on me. But, believe me Jayne: There is more. I know a guy that could find us some guys with guns for a heist. They're already called in. They'll also be there at our new ship on Persephone in two days. Once we start to go though...you get to play captain. If you can't handle it at any point, I'll be here for you. You can just let me run things if it makes it easy on your muscle flesh. Dong ma?"

Caught up in her planning at the moment... Jayne was going, "damn right I do. What heist you got in mind?"

He sat next to Saffron on the bed.

Grinning wide... Saffron was supposing, "I'm thinking we gonna go bigger: Grabbing the paper money in a Alliance bank. That'll really get some Alliance in trouble with Parliament. Sihnon or Londinium. I'll let you pick. I'll even let you pick how we go and do this great operation."

Jayne considered, "hm. Inara has friends in Sihnon. Figure it'd be better to hit Londinium: Least 'till Mal comes around to you."

Sounding solemn... Saffron said, "all right. Londinium it is. Although...you know how I got myself Companion training?"

A little curious... Jayne outright said, "not really. But, it gotta have some real good whorin' story 'round it."

With a faint creepy kind of smile... Saffron said confidently, "why thank you gunny. I am good at whorin'."

Jayne faintly laughed. He added, "I'd sure as hell wager it."

Saffron reflected, "I was on the run for some time. But, then...I found a guy looking to be a Companion. He was kind of all by himself in the academy. So, he wanted someone for him to be on at night. In turn for that, I made him teach me "to know how to please him". It was really so I didn't have to really go to the academy and get myself arrested. But, his touch felt kind of good."

That was more unsettling than not for Jayne. But, he just very faintly smirked: Trying to not think on it much.

Annoyed sounding... Saffron continued, "when he was about to graduate...I planned to steal from the Companions's Guild. Moderate sigh. Guess I just liked him for his touch. I got him knocked out. I tried to take paper money from one of the Guild's central vaults. But...I couldn't. That was before I taught myself how to kick good. So, I had to run for it. I got a eye on Sihnon 'cause of that."

Suddenly picking up on his feelings... Saffron then paused.

She put a comforting hand on his.

Uncomfortable and delicate sounding... She was concluding, "I'm sorry. That last part wasn't good to you. But, for you... I can wait on Sihnon 'till Malcolm comes around. Is that simple and better for you?"

Sounding a little better... Jayne concluded, "yah. It sure is good figuring."

With a smile with closed lips... Saffron added, "you're welcome Jayne."

Sounding all too sweet and innocent... Saffron was then bringing up, "now, before tonight is gone for good...why don't you go ahead and get on me? That is, if you still want to."

With a wide grin... Jayne was figuring, "aw hell. You're right. Let's just get to it."

With a snarky smirk... Saffron was adding, "I know I am."

She undid her bra, letting it fall off the side of the bed.

Soon, they were on the bed: With their most favorite guns aimed right at each other's heads while making out.

The next morning, over the Cortex...

Across every done cheap central news thinbox with tan brown paper and transparent platinum holographic covering... Across every source box... The then latest news wave comes up.

Down below was a ANS logo: Short for the Alliance News Source. It was circling a galaxy circling around the White Sun: Both in gold lettered Chinese characters and faint purple lettered English.

A newsroom was done up in tile like very whitish blue, with hints of studio lamp styled lights. A announcer with curly medium black hair was standing in a formal stripped white and gray suit before a wooden stand.

She was holding a black Alliance dedicated source box. It had its almost watery screen face down.

On both Chinese and dubbed in English audio tracks... The announcer was reading off of the source box, "a few hours ago, on Persephone... A gang of smugglers for 3D printed restorations has been brought under arrest for the good of the Alliance. They were attempting to replace the restorations of Mycenaean and Greek swords in Alliance millionaire Hayden Stromer's collection with 3D printed copies and take the original restorations to fence for millions."

All the while... And, in a almost watery side screen... Black and white security camera footage was playing: Of several darker coated guys by a mostly white marble like mansion door.

They were running for it: With Mycenaean and Greek swords in the hilts.

Just as quickly though... And, with some very low choos... They were hit by sonic waves.

They fell over the steps, falling forward. Some of them were coughing violently on their sides.

Then, Alliance police were forcing them up to be taken into custody: Handcuffs and all.

The announcer was adding, "but, it looks like civilization caught up with them."

A little creepily... The announcer faintly smiled at that.

And, by the side... The security footage was soon giving way to a holographic picture of red Chinese curtains.

All too casually... The announcer was then adding, "and now, for our Restorations of the Day."

That night, on the Eavesdown Docks on Persephone...

It was not very crowded. Most folk have already gotten home or were fast walking back to their ships.

Concession stands for the late night were wheeling in.

Around many a worn out tent and many a wall of shipment crates... Alliance agents were on patrol: Both federal and corporate private contractor, carrying Alliance issue Personal Cortex Access Devices with unlimited access.

They blend in with the crowds and such unless there's a arrest to be made: Not unlike Agent Dobson.

Off by one of many mostly gray metallic vertical hospital stretcher styled metallic computer terminals for docking... There was a mostly rustic garage styled Hanover class mid-bulk salvager ship.

The Hanover Class salvager has got two double box styled ventilation shaft like maneuvering pods on the edges of the triangular ventilation shaft like wings, a tug boat like cabin on top for the cockpit, and three cylinder thruster engines with yellow like thrust patterns behind rustic gray still turbine exhaust vents. Construction yellow and black striped edges are along the cargo bay door and where the maneuvering pods and thruster engines are on the wings.

The Hanover Class salvager is both famous and infamous for its almost infinite configurability: For salvaging several derelict ships at a time...and for stealing from several heavily hit ships before a Alliance cruiser can arrive.

It comes with two large straight lined decks under the cockpit, full of easily unscrewed metal walls and couplings each held up with three horizontal planks. Unscrew one plank, and any section of a coupling or a wall can be picked up and carried over fairly easy to another two metal beam pillars.

This particular Hanover class ship on the Eavesdown Docks though?

It was custom painted to be mostly near white bluish: With tiny white and dark reddish splotches all along it.

If looked at close enough on a scanner reading, the splotches together would resemble the muscular system.

The cargo bay door was metallic gray. And, in big reddish rimmed white letters, the words "Jib-eseo Nolda" was written across one side of the ship.

Jayne was glancing at the words, kind of confused.

He asked casually, "what the hell do it mean? It ain't seemed Chinese."

Saffron was wearing her buttoned up jacket. Jayne didn't seem bothered much with not wearing one tonight.

But, they were both clothed: Standing only inches apart before the slightly cold night air.

Saffron was turning to face him.

Kind of snarkily... Saffron was explaining, "please: It's Korean. I thought it'd be a good name to get for your Hanover class ship. So, I hope you don't mind."

She suddenly wrapped her arm close around his, with a kind of comforting hand around his.

Jayne commented, "aw hell. You know I ain't gone to school."

With a faint amused roll of her eyes and a faint smile... Saffron figured, "I know. I'll give you a hint though."

With a faint smirk... Jayne was going, "all right."

Saffron hinted, "playing with cards."

Jayne was figuring, "wagering against one them fancible rich folk's houses?"

Sounding kind of impressed... Saffron commented, "good guess. Playing against the house. A old saying from the Earth-That-Was. But, you did pretty well."

Jayne added, "thanks." Saffron added, "you're welcome."

With a then more comforting hand still on his... Saffron asked him, "so, now that you know what it mean...what do you think?"

Sounding a bit disappointed... Jayne figured, "the name is all right. But..."

With a slightly cold glare... Saffron was challenging, "what? You don't like the rest of my touch all over it?"

Jayne was considering, "naw: It ain't you. I kind of like it. But...you sure it ain't needing more them blood soaked stone walls and carved sharp red metal planks?"

In a creepy kind of way...Saffron's expression lightened.

Sounding a little better... Saffron was deducing, "oh. To be like the meat raffles on Atreus?"

All too happily... Jayne was answering, "yah."

Kind of awkwardly... Saffron admitted, "I'm sorry. You know I'm not real big with going unless you pay me."

With a very faint smirk... Jayne figured, "it's all right. I still love you."

And, with a wide grin... Saffron added, "good."

Presently, back in Jayne's bunk...

Mal heavily sighs. He says somewhat bitterly, "gorram meat raffles. I ain't even touching that one, Jayne. But...I think I know where this is headed."

Not even looking up... Jayne just asks, "you do?"

Teary eyed still... Mal highlights, "you tried to captain your own ship. Then, your crew turned on you 'cause the bounty on you was too mighty tempting to pass up. Bounty or no bounty...it ain't near easy as you think."

There's a lingering awkward silence between them.

After a bit... Jayne admits somberly, "well, now I know. But... That ain't exactly all what happened Mal."

A tear falls from his face.

Mal concludes, "fine. You just talk plainly is all."

Jayne deeply sighs. He concludes, "okay. The job was going good...at the start."

Earlier, two days before...

On the Jib-eseo Nolda... There were very dark red, green, and bright white overlapping leaves styled metallic beam pillars and walls throughout. The very dark red couplings were like hooks for hanging meat.

The near white reddish interior of the thruster engines looked like opened up hydraulic run refrigerators on their side: With one laid down on top of two of them, and a very dark red ladder to get up to the top one.

On the first floor... The large cargo bay had parked inside Saffron's ASREV, two mostly gray shuttles, and one wooden looking shuttle with some red Chinese dragons across it.

There was a galley with a near white red refrigerator, several bedrooms, and a set of metal stairs to the cockpit.

And, on the second floor...there was a meeting room right in center.

The meeting room had six whitish silver chairs...around a metallic dark blue table with a holographic screen.

Sitting there around the table were Saffron, Jayne, and four guns for hire.

Pierce had medium black hair, a matching gruffly beard, and a somewhat thick mustache.

He wore a black cowboy hat. He also wore a blue long sleeved shirt under a blackish gray bulletproof vest.

Avitra had long slightly curly black hair. She wore a mostly red Chinese silk gown.

But, strapped on her black leggings, she was keeping two Dao swords in their black hilts.

Jantil had medium very dark brown hair. He wore a dark brown vest under a gray overcoat.

Tangier had frontless medium black hair and a gruffly beard. He wore a light green vest and a brown overcoat.

Jayne was wearing his gray shirt with the picture of a golden blond pin up girl before a soda parlor like rainbow.

Saffron was wearing her open near white bluish leather jacket. Worn under it was a white T-shirt...with a picture of a coat of arms of a pair of dark red liquid dripping kitchen knives before a sink with steaming hot water.

On the holographic screen... The very dark blue gothic mostly pillar styled skyscrapers of Londinium apartment complexes towered over mostly yellow and green lights.

These holographic lights were in place of most of the folk and city lights many levels down.

But, in seconds... The holographic screen was being turned off.

Jayne took his hand off the off button under the edge of the table.

Jayne concluded, "all righty. Now with everyone here having got the plan...any questions?"

With a almost emotionless faint smile... Saffron was kind of warily glancing across the room.

Most of the guns for hire were very faintly smirking to themselves.

Casual sounding... Pierce commented, "so now this here mercenary boy is hiring us out to rob a bank? You got some awful big boots to fit in, mister. Faint laugh. If they even fit ya."

Jayne was starting to get up.

Glaringly... Jayne was muttering, "you want me to get the chain of command out for your gorram...?!"

Most everyone else was reaching for their guns in reaction. Avitra was reaching for her Daos.

Jayne was about to reach for Vera...when a familiar arm was tightening around his: Holding him back a little.

Saffron had gotten behind him: With her other arm around his side in a more comforting kind of way.

Over his shoulder... She whispered tensely, "Jayne! No one is going after your command. Go sit down."

Jayne was huffing some.

But, after a bit... He reluctantly sat back down: Finding it kind of hard to look up.

Saffron faintly rolled her eyes annoyedly his way. But, he didn't notice.

She then sighed with some mixed relief.

To the others... Saffron said out loud, "he's gone through mutiny. So, soon after that, you were all picked as the crew: Least for this one job. But, he's still a mite touchy when it comes to his command."

Even then, Jayne knew the mutiny part was a bold faced lie. But, he wasn't going to argue with her on it.

Most everyone else lowered their guns.

A little teary eyed all a sudden...Avitra put her Daos away.

A little more awkwardly... Pierce was commenting, "sorry. We don't heard nothing 'bout that. Still...maybe I right here underestimated him."

With a very faint smile... Saffron was adding, "maybe you did."

Saffron sat back down by Jayne.

From under the table, Saffron was putting a comforting hand on his.

Jayne looked up.

Sounding a little better... And, with a very faint smirk... Jayne figured, "least that be something right."

Solemnly... Avitra was reflecting, "when I were young, I've cut down dishonorable warriors: 'fore and in the Unification War. I don't envy anyone that has to. But, there was no destiny in it for me: It was my way."

Jantil faintly scoffed. He was muttering under his breath, "I care none for no envy nor destiny: I just want to go out gunning for some Alliance come morning."

With a creepy kind of faint smile... Saffron remarked, "good man. Although me and Jayne have got that part of the job already well covered... If you ask us real nice, you could get watch on the ship 'till we're back. Dong ma?"

All too confidently... Jantil figured, "yep. That'll do for a day."

Jayne very faintly smirked.

Avitra moderately sighed in her hands.

She then looked up.

She commented, "you are all pitiful. I'm just staying for the pay this one time."

Jayne commented back, "good. All I got to know then so long as there's that there understanding."

Saffron very faintly smirked at that.

With his hands behind his head... Pierce was figuring, "with me? I ain't so much as decided. Go on with your way and I go mine. Just don't get in my way. I've never been much good long 'round them warrior kinds."

With a warning glare... Avitra was stating, "I'll keep that in mind."

Seeming kind of nervous... Saffron glanced left and then right: Glancing toward Avitra and Pierce.

With a faint smirk... Tangier figured, "suit yourself. Me, I don't got to. Not much for leaving too many bodies to answer for. 'sides, I kind of like it here on this ship. Could be worth a stay."

Sounding pleased... And, with a grin... Saffron said, "thank you. I'm glad least somebody think so."

Tangier added, "sure thing."

Thinking to the crew he seemed to have got... Jayne figured, "well...it's sure as hell least a start."

* * *

 _Act II_

Earlier, close to one day before...

The White Sun was shining over the almost sparkling clean clear blue day.

Middle class folk in shuttle styled hovercars of ghostly pale yellow and very dark green were speeding around the Londinium apartment complexes. Most of them were somewhat begrudgingly heading off for cubicle desk jobs for working Alliance crane controls or Alliance metropolis wide security camera monitoring duty.

Some complexes weren't apartment complexes.

And, these complexes?

Well... Past some wooden lamppost lined walkways shrouded by bushes in fishbowl like pots... Past some very dark green holographic billboards for Blue Sun in blocky blue letters... Some are art and history museums: With some exhibits here and there even going as far back as restored inventions and works of art of the Earth-That-Was.

Some complexes are government complexes.

There are the Alliance Bank complexes and the Alliance Treasury complex.

They are towering Londinium complexes. But, they're only as big as apartment complexes.

Two notable government complexes together though are as big as a metropolis.

One is for the Ministry of Intelligence: The officially Verse wide known department for managing Verse wide Alliance intelligence gathering. Its bluish black main complex has a grid of private shuttle bays of their own behind yellow glass windows, a very dark blue sword styled antenna as big as a two story house...and a glowing near whitish blue disc slot like column of windows as the only windows looking out.

Another notable one is for Parliament itself: The official legislative and judicial branch for most every Verse wide Alliance action as judge, jury, and lawmaker.

Parliament's dark blue complex is really four complexes stacked together like giant library bookmarks. Aside from the frontmost one, each one was slightly out further than the one in front.

Parliament members have to be invited by The Alliance and to willingly accept said invitation: From the most fiscal and kind to the most pragmatic and logical, according to biyearly Planet Popularity Vote on Alliance planets.

But, ever since the Unification War... Not much any one who keeps speaking harshly of The Alliance has got a invite for a seat in Parliament: Even if they do get the biyearly Planet Popularity Vote from his or her home planet.

Back to Jayne's story...

As part of Jayne's plan... Close to two nights ago... Saffron came alone in her ASREV.

She came to the Alliance bank as a night shift Alliance police officer: With a gray hat hiding most of her hair.

She knocked out the real officer down a dark corner with a sideways kick. She left her in just her underwear and bra in a then locked light red door to the janitorial closet of the Alliance bank.

Saffron also took her clothes to wear and her Ident card to use.

She got to a stark gray computer terminal: With mostly bright yellow blocky dots over a dark blue tinted map of Londinium with Chinese characters.

And, with a faint grin... Saffron pressed some buttons on her Personal Cortex Access Device to hack into the bank database and upload a virus to issue some massive faulty tracers reports: Pre-programmed a month ago by a contact of Saffron's, as agreed over a payoff.

Then, as part of Alliance banking policy... All clients would have to come in to a Alliance bank to get all their fancy Alliance paper bills replaced with paper bills with working tracers. The only legal alternative would be having The Alliance come to their doors, check every personal belonging, and then have their paper bills replaced.

Worth tens of millions of credits... Most of the tens of thousands of original paper bills were to be gathered up in the back of the bank: Leaving a hour window until they'd be recirculated back to the Alliance Treasury to be scanned for faulty tracers, before they'd be recirculated back into the Alliance economy.

The Alliance bank had mostly dark red to light red desks in gold rimmed wood styled booths. Radio like stark gray bank terminals were on top of the desks: With transparent bead like buttons with blue Chinese characters for numbers and whitish yellow circuit like lines going from one button to the next.

Alliance bank tellers sat before the bank terminals. They wore mostly stark grey uniforms with whitish red cuffs and whitish red hats: To make it easy to tell them apart from the Alliance police officers.

There was sharp white lighting from lights in the stone gray ceiling. The tiled floor was very dark blue, with little motion sensors lights underneath. Four black cameras were on every Roman styled stone like pillar.

In every chamber of the bank, several Alliance police officers were on patrol. On every floor, a light red banner that said "Alliance Bank" across it in blue Chinese characters was over the open hatch styled main entrance.

Rich folk especially were coming and going like crazy: Mighty irritated at best, shouting at the tellers at worst.

Meanwhile, in the back of the Alliance Bank...

The Jib-eseo Nolda landed in the far back of a very dark blue porch styled hovercar docking bay: Despite grinding quite a bit against the floor. Fortunately for the crew, most of the hovercars were vacant.

Jantil stayed behind, standing in front of the Jib-eseo Nolda. He drew out his dark gray shotgun, ready to fire.

Everyone else was on the move.

Saffron went a little ahead of them, carrying her handgun.

She slipped in the Ident card from earlier into the slot by a light red backdoor. The door automatically unlocked.

On the other side was a set of emergency gray metal stairs.

With a faint almost innocent smile... Saffron looked up to the camera above...just before shooting it out.

A moderately loud choo went off.

Then, another went off: One floor up.

She called down lowly, "I got the cameras. Let's go!"

Soon, they were all heading up the stairs.

With a moderately loud choo... Jayne shot off a door's handle with his LaserAim Series III pistol.

All too confidently... And, with a wide smirk... Jayne said, "now we getting to have us some fun."

In a creepy kind of way... Saffron faintly grinned to him.

Twenty Alliance Police officers were already coming for the stairs, ready to fire with sonic rifles.

Out in the side hall... Pierce, Avitra, and Tangier were charging for them, drawing out their weapons.

With his white tinted silver shotgun... And, with some loud choos... Pierce shot down several Alliance officers.

They doubled over, coughing violently and clutching their sides.

With her Doas... Avitra slashed through several Alliance officers, with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

They doubled over, coughing violently and clutching their sides.

They had deep dark red cuts in their sides. A splatter of dark red liquid was on the wall.

But, in seconds, they were all dead.

With his pair of very dark green pistols... And, with some moderately loud choos... Tangier shot dead two Alliance officers in the chest.

While dark red liquid was still dripping from it, he propped up one of the bodies as cover.

With some very low choos... Two sonic waves nearly knocked Tangier to the ground.

But...he tumbled off of the knocked body as momentum to quickly tumble back to his feet.

He kicked back another Alliance officer, setting off his aim.

The sonic wave harmlessly hit the ceiling. It just vibrated a little.

Then, Tangier went back to firing with pistols.

Interestingly... Jayne and Saffron went back down a floor.

Saffron slipped in the Ident card into the slot by the door up ahead. It automatically opened.

Saffron and Jayne fast walked down the side hall before them.

With no Alliance police officers at the time to spare... They just walked right into the chamber.

In seconds... Jayne and Saffron shot off most of the cameras by the pillars.

Smoke went off. Fire alarms went off briefly and then stopped.

In the confusion... Soon all the folk there with guns were punched or kicked down.

They were coughing violently some. Their guns had gone flying across the chamber floor.

The other folk and the bank tellers looked real scared.

With no bullets left in his LaserAim Series III pistol... Jayne was drawing out Vera.

And, Jayne called out, "all right! Don't wanna die? Stay right where you were! This here is a robbery."

There was a grim silence.

With a very faint smile with closed lips... Saffron was walking over to a nervously shaking bank teller.

Soft toned and delicate sounding... Saffron wondered, "hello. Why don't you make this easy on yourself and just tell us where the Alliance paper bills are getting kept?"

She was pointing her handgun at the bank teller as she asked.

The bank teller bent over. He was breathing hard, trying unsuccessfully to hide tears running down his face.

With a slight glare... Saffron pushed, "you know, we don't got all day."

The bank teller broke down. He practically shouted, "Hǎo ba hǎo ba! Faint sniffle! The eighteenth floor, second room right from the left elevator! Please don't kill me."

With her expression lightening... Saffron lowered her handgun.

She added kind of snarkily, "well, you did least say please. Thanks for that."

With their guns still out... Saffron and Jayne backed up into another nearby side hall.

They broke into a run...as ten more Alliance police officers started to run after them.

But, soon as they turned a corner in the hall... Avitra, Pierce, and Tangier were charging after them.

Loud choos were heard. Slashes were heard.

Completely caught off guard... The officers screamed...as they all started to fall over dead.

Around then, back with Jantil...

With a loud choo... Jantil fired.

A frontless short black haired man in a black felt jacket fired back with a pair of gray pistols.

They both nearly hit each other. But, the bullets just bounced off harmlessly on the ground.

The figure threw a smoke grenade.

In the confusion of the smoke... He grabbed Jantil's arm.

Just before he could break his arm though... Jantil violently punched him back with his other arm.

The figure tumbled back to his feet, coughing up some dark red liquid.

But, just as quickly... He shot Jantil in his side.

Jantil groaned violently, doubling over his dark red liquid dripping side.

The figure very faintly smirked.

He was walking over to Jantil, ready to take him out.

Around then, on the eighteenth floor...

Jayne and Saffron got out of a central stark gray elevator.

Saffron fast walked ahead right of the left elevator, down one of several winding mostly dark blue halls.

Then, hearing tiny chones from the other two elevators... Jayne paused.

He was tossing a grenade at the left elevator.

The elevator door burst open in a fiery explosion.

Jayne was already several feet away, running down the hall right of the elevator.

Fire sprinklers automatically went off. Fire alarms were going like mad.

Alliance officers on the other side were coughing hard against the smoke. Some were coughing violently, clutching their slightly burnt sides.

The room up ahead had a left open large garage sized doorway. A stark gray laundry like bin on wheels with Trader's Guild written across it in Chinese and English was in back: Still mostly full of the tens of thousands of Alliance paper bills brought to this very room.

Sixteen light red desks with coffee machine styled whitish red 3D printer terminals for Alliance logoed envelopes were there.

Alliance workers in Alliance bank teller uniforms were there to stuff the paper bills into the envelopes. Then, they would send the envelopes down the appropriate designated gray dumbwaiter like chutes behind their stations.

Saffron tumble ran into the room, handgun ready to fire.

She high kicked one Alliance worker against the wall, stunning her.

One Alliance worker was about to hit a alarm button under his desk.

But, Saffron shot him dead with her handgun.

Then, she was grabbing the bin from behind.

A Alliance worker cried out desperately, "stop!"

Saffron laughed. She suddenly commented, "well, you asked for it."

She left behind the bin...to jump kick the Alliance worker down.

He was knocked out instantly.

And, much to Jayne's faint amusement... The other Alliance workers ran like hell.

With a wide grin... Saffron said, "hello. Too bad you missed some of my own fun."

Jayne very faintly laughed. He commented, "yeah. Too bad."

He then asked, "you sure you ain't looking for my help? Even with your kind of muscle, this here is a heavy load of money to be carryin' 'round."

Sounding a little embarrassed all a sudden... Saffron reasoned, "good point. It's a mite heavier than what I was thinking. I figure it's got to be all those thousands of turned off tracers weighing them down."

With a faint smirk... Jayne added, "seems like."

Saffron faintly smirked back.

After a bit... They were together carting the bin out the door.

Not long after...

Jantil was standing over the lying dead body of the figure...holding a Alliance government issue P.A.D. in hand.

Everyone else was coming back onboard the Jib-eseo Nolda.

The cargo bay ramp was out.

Jayne caught a glimpse of the Personal Cortex Access Device in Jantil's hand.

Jayne told Saffron he should talk to Jantil to see about it.

Warily looking all a sudden... Saffron faintly nodded.

Jayne walked over to Jantil.

Saffron and Pierce were bringing in the bin full of Alliance paper bills: Heavily chiseled wheels and all.

It made a kind of loud grinding against the cargo bay floor.

Jayne was quick to bring up, "why you holding one of...?"

Kind of nervously... Jantil was quick to explain, "I got it off his body after he tried gunning for me. Alliance agents must of knew we were coming. But, that isn't far from expected: Cameras are everywhere out here."

With a satisfied smirk... Jayne firmly nodded, "right. Good work, Jantil."

With a faint smile... Jantil said, "thanks."

Jayne reasoned, "sure. 'sides...that device could bring us a lot of coin. Bring it on the ship with ya."

Jantil concluded, "good, captain."

They then walked up the cargo bay ramp, going back into the Jib-eseo Nolda.

All the while, Saffron was standing by the edge of the cargo bay door: Waiting for Jayne.

Jantil went up to go start piloting the ship. Jayne closed the cargo bay door behind him.

Saffron checked, "so...is it Alliance trouble? Or, are we good?"

Jayne figured, "seem good. Says he got it off the guy who tried to kill him or something."

Saffron put both her kind of comforting hands on his.

And, kind of nervous looking... Saffron looked up right at him.

She figured, "well, I real don't doubt you Jayne. But... Moderate sigh. I'd like to talk to him to know for sure myself. All right?"

With a faint shrug... Jayne just figured, "all right. Go ahead: I ain't stoppin' ya."

With a very faint smile... Saffron concluded, "thanks Jayne."

Jayne insisted casually, "yeah. No problem, Saffron."

Snarkily... Saffron figured, "now it won't."

And, with that... She was walking up to the cockpit to go talk to Jantil.

Not long after that...

The Jib-eseo Nolda was clearing atmo for the black of space.

At first, space seemed calm and quiet with the stars looking bright.

But, as morning gave way to late afternoon...the very brightness of the stars seemed to fade into the black.

Around then, on the Jib-eseo Nolda...

Jayne and Saffron were in their own bedroom.

There was kind of bright lighting.

They had their most favorite guns aimed right at each other's heads while making out.

They were lying on the near white bluish sheeted bed: Topless, sweaty, their unarmed hands doing most of the feeling up and down, and with groans of sexual volumes plenty.

Then though... They heard some distant loud choos.

They paused. They were starting to pull away.

Jayne was asking, "you hear those shots?"

Surprisingly a little teary eyed... And, solemn sounding... Saffron was concluding, "yeah. The Verity part to me is scared now. But, I'm really not."

She wiped away the faint teariness in her eyes. Aside from that, she wasn't looking nervous at all.

Not sure what to make of that... Jayne looked kind of nervous.

Sounding better all a sudden... Saffron insisted, "I'm okay, Jayne."

Before Jayne could add something... Saffron figured, "we should go out and look. Although, it wouldn't be good to get caught with our "little parts" as easy marks."

For a whole other reason... Jayne added nervously, "yah. Good figuring."

They started to be on the move, grabbing each other's pants and pulling them back on.

Not long after...

With their guns drawn out... Saffron and Jayne were fast walking down to the first floor.

Down the hall... They got to the galley.

Pierce and Avitra were lying dead on the floor. Dark red liquid was around their bodies from several gunshots.

A kicked down gray metallic table was on the floor. Silverware was all over the floor.

Inches away from Avitra... Tangier was lying on the floor, coughing violently.

One of Avitra's Doas was stabbed through his chest, with dark red liquid all around the wound.

Looking kind of nervous... Saffron was looking over Pierce and Avitra's bodies.

She realized, "they're dead."

* * *

 _Act III_

Jayne bent down to face Tangier.

Tensely... Jayne demanded, "what the ruttin' hell happened?"

Teary eyed... Tangier explained, "they... Violent groan! ...wanted bounties on you. I...violent cough...tried to corpsify them, Jayne. Violent cough! I'm...sorry I..."

Then... Tangier's eyes rolled back.

He was dead.

Teary eyed... Jayne faintly sniffled.

He closed Tangier's eyes for him.

Then... Jayne got back up.

Looking back to him... And, solemn sounding... Saffron said, "I'm sorry. I didn't think Pierce and Avitra would actually partner up against one of us and not play each other."

Jayne tried to insist, "it's all right. Better for 'em to be in hell than trying to still ruttin' kill us."

Jayne was trying to seem more confident than he really was in front of Saffron.

But, he was still teary eyed. And, Saffron could tell what he was really feeling.

Still kind of nervous sounding... Saffron said, "maybe. We also should go look for Jantil: Figure out for sure that he's not trying to kill us as well."

Jayne quickly added, "right. I'll check up top." Saffron reasoned, "good. I'll go check this floor."

Jayne faintly nodded.

He then headed for the cockpit, ready to fire.

Not long after, in the cockpit...

Soon as he heard some loud footsteps... Jantil was turning around in the pilot's seat, drawing out his shotgun.

He had a pack of ice in a dark red soaked cast by his side.

Jayne came barging in.

With a tense look... He concluded, "let's cut to the truth, Jayne Cobb. It'd make it easier for your arrest."

He was pointing the shotgun at Jayne.

With a forming cold glare... Jayne was realizing, "you're with the law."

Jantil was figuring, "so was the agent in the ship lot. We staged it to keep you unawares. A Alliance cruiser is en route to intercept. How about you stand down: Make it easier for yourself? Kill me, and it won't change nothing."

Jayne commented, "now that don't make no sense. If you were with the law, you wouldn't be leavin' us to break into that bank."

Agent Jantil took a uneasy breath. He lowered his shotgun.

Interestingly... He was just outright revealing, "it's not typical none. You're right. But... Moderate sigh. Talking to Maero Suler didn't get him to cooperate with Alliance regulation. His private contractor runs that bank and least forty others like it on Londinium. It would become anarchic in two metropolises if we tried to arrest them. But, we knew a independent high caliber break in would convince them to be more cooperative with us. With me on your crew, the money you stole would go back on track for inspection and recirculation in the Alliance economy. I hate the thought of thirty officers dying today. But, it was for the good of The Alliance."

Past the door to the stairs... Saffron suddenly called to Jayne, "you got Jantil? I couldn't see him downstairs."

Jayne concluded determinedly, "yah! He's here. I'll tell you 'bout it when I done with him here."

He wasn't even turning around: He was just furiously glaring at Agent Jantil.

Sounding reluctant and unsure... Saffron moderately sighed.

She figured, "all right Jayne. If you're real sure it's just talking, I'll wait for you."

Jayne insisted, "I'd tell you if it weren't. I got this."

Then... There were some fading footsteps coming from the steps.

Back to Agent Jantil... Jayne muttered, "you gorram feds went under my head and made us take out your trash for ya?! You know, I real ought to shoot you just for turning on me."

He was about ready to shoot.

With a nervous gulp... Agent Jantil looked uncomfortably his way.

He tried pointing out, "I didn't shoot any of you. Shouldn't that be something?"

Jayne cuttingly voiced, "all 'cept you, me, and Saffron are dead. They killed themselves over tryin' to come for me and her. Faint sniffle. You talk like it ought to be pretty words. But, you did nothin' for 'em."

His eyes teared up more.

Agent Jantil considered it, "that is unfortunate. We were hoping to bring you to a Alliance prison satellite: Give you all a last chance at some real living."

Jayne lowered Vera some. But, he was still ready to fire.

Jayne was figuring, "still...Alliance feds are gonna arrest us. That's cuttin' it damn close to suicide for Saffron."

A tear fell from his face. But, he ignored it.

Agent Jantil uneasily faintly laughed. He brought up, "you mean she haven't told you? Figures she wouldn't."

Jayne looked kind of stunned by this.

He was quickly beginning to ask, "what the hell are you...?"

Looking real solemn now... Agent Jantil took out his Alliance government issue P.A.D. from his pockets.

He pressed one of the central left blue buttons on the buttons side of the P.A.D.

A recent audio recording started to play:

Kind of nervous sounding... Saffron asked, "does Jayne know what you're planning?"

Jantil concluded, "no. He wouldn't go against Malcolm Reynolds. But, we turn him and his crew in to The Alliance together... Faint laugh. I sure The Alliance wouldn't be going after you for a long time. You and me could retire off that kinda money. How does that seem to you?"

Amused sounding... Saffron faintly laughed.

She seemed to be thinking out loud, "well, I do like your thinking. But...I also don't like not taking money or 3D printed restorations again from The Alliance. I couldn't promise you that."

Jantil tried to assure her, "no one is asking you to. But, we turn in the awful money... Turn Malcolm's crew in... We'd get least near five hundred million credits. That'd be just on a awful day."

Kind of cryptically... Saffron said, "I said I like your thinking. But...I got to think on it a little more. Jayne and me with a whole crew just got to stole a lot of money from The Alliance, and I don't want to just give that money over. Although, after we dock on Persephone...I'll let you know what I think. All right?"

And, Jantil just reasoned, "that's all I could ask."

Relatively presently...

Jayne had enough.

And, as the audio recording stopped playing... He was aiming Vera right for Agent Jantil.

Agent Jantil was about to draw his shotgun. But, Jayne was faster.

With a vicious glare... Jayne shot him in the head...with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

Agent Jantil fell dead in the chair, still holding the shotgun.

Jayne was grabbing up the Alliance P.A.D. from the chair.

He wasn't caring to look at the ship's present course. He just stormed out of the cockpit, not looking back.

Not long after, down a blocky winding hall on the second floor...

The recording was playing again:

Saffron was saying, "...I'll let you know what I think. All right?" Jantil just reasoned, "that's all I could ask."

The recording stopped.

Jayne was standing against some of the wall sections, holding the Alliance P.A.D. in hand.

Saffron was standing against a corner of wall, finding it hard to look at him.

Glaringly... Jayne questioned, "were that you, or were it just damn crazy spot on with one of 'em makifiers?"

Jayne slammed down the Alliance P.A.D. at the floor. The screen on it cracked as it hit the floor.

Saffron seemed to be getting more nervous by the minute.

After a bit... Saffron looked up: A little teary eyed.

Somber sounding... Saffron insisted, "Jayne, I didn't know he was with Alliance. Faint sniffle. I thought he was just a not so decent man with a gun."

Jayne pressed, "that still don't answer my question none, Saffron."

Saffron moderately sighed. She tried to tell, "it was really me. But, it's not what it looks like."

Sounding like he was just stabbed in the heart... Jayne brought up, "why couldn't ya then just tell me? You knew our deal! You don't go after Mal and his crew. We get a whole lot of coin and get sexed together."

Saffron tried to explain herself, "I knew you liked Jantil. I thought if I pay off one of the others to kill him..."

Jayne coldly interrupted with, "...that you wouldn't have shot me in the back?"

Saffron closed her eyes, holding back tears.

She had gone mostly silent. She was nervously shaking some.

Jayne furiously concluded, "Mal were right: You are a ruttin' snake!"

When she heard that... Saffron opened her eyes.

Still teary eyed... She coldly glared back.

Like it hurt right then to still hold the gun... Jayne tossed Vera aside.

Just to make it even... Saffron tossed her handgun aside.

And, without a second thought... They charged for each other, ready to come to blows.

Jayne was drawing out his big-ass knife. He was about to try to stab her in the heart.

Saffron high kicked at him...knocking away the knife. It made a loud clink on the floor.

Saffron went to high kick at Jayne again.

With a angry huff... Jayne tore off a coupling from the wall, hurling it at her leg to set her aim off.

Saffron put down her kind of throbbing leg. But, she easily stood up again.

Jayne went to violently punch Saffron in her side.

But, then... She didn't even try to grab his fist.

Saffron doubled back against the wall...coughing violently over and over.

Jayne's glare gave way to shock. Complete shock.

Some dark red liquid came out of Saffron's mouth. Her vision was kind of blurry.

There was a very awkward silence.

Then... Jayne finally spoke, "what the ruttin' hell...?! Why did ya let me hit you?"

Teary eyed still... Saffron took a pained breath.

Then... Saffron was confessing, "because... Violent cough! ...because I didn't know how... Violent cough! ...how else to make a hell of sense to you again. Sniffle! I'm really sorry."

Tears just kept falling from her face, despite her trying to close it all away with her eyes.

Still in shock... Jayne muttered, "oh ruttin' gorram."

He was getting teary eyed himself.

Saffron was concluding, "yeah. I know what you're thinking: It isn't simple. But... Violent cough! At least we're not trying to kill each other."

Jayne didn't know what to answer with.

He picked up his big-ass knife, her handgun, and Vera.

He then bent before her, checking over the pulsing heavily bruised wound under her T-shirt.

Pained sounding... Jayne checked, "can you even get up?"

Then, Saffron's tears started to stop. Her eyes were starting to dry up.

With a very faint smile... Saffron suggested, "I know my pounds of muscle flesh well. Violent cough! Violent cough! You keep me steady, and I could still walk to my ASREV."

She started to get up. Jayne started to steady her.

Jayne had a good grip around her unbruised side to keep her steady as they walked.

Jayne thought out loud, "you wouldn't have let me hit ya if there were another way. Faint sniffle. It ain't you that ought to be sorry. Hell, I ought to be shot."

Somberly... Saffron was insisting, "no. Don't say that. Violent cough! Sniffle! I'm sorry for letting it get bad with us like that. Violent cough!"

They were soon walking down the hall, heading for some metal stairs.

Teary eyed still... Jayne was realizing, "still...all that time..."

Saffron voiced, "I've been honest with you. Violent cough! I also let you hit me just so I could get back to making a hell of sense to you. So, I could honest say I love you gunny."

In her mind... Blurry flashes were going by fast: Of her running from a incense styled bank safe like vault and the sound of loud footsteps of Bodyguard grade Companions, of crying to herself in her guest room on Serenity, of Mal holding Saffron at gunpoint in a certain winter getaway spot, of high kicking out Durran, of Jayne surprise landing by parachute on Bellerophron to help her with a certain bounty, of their nights together of making out with their most favorite guns aimed right for their heads...and of finding most of the Jib-eseo Nolda crew dead in the galley.

With very mixed feelings... Jayne concluded, "but...that don't make no sense. I hit you."

With a creepy kind of faint smile... Saffron thought out loud, "Jayne... Faint sniffle. I got myself Companion training. Then, I got myself abused for far worse on my own first jobs: With many rich húndàn just to stole their money. This is nothing to me. Violent cough! I got myself out then. I can get myself out easy. Violent cough! I just get less young whores anonymous paid out real shiny Core Planet surgeries done soon as we get out."

Trying not to think on that much... Jayne commented offhandedly, "yah. If we ain't pinched...first."

They had just got to the cargo bay...when they were suddenly surrounded by Alliance Police.

They had sonic rifles drawn out, ready to fire.

A Alliance police officer was stating for the record, "Jayne Cobb and Saffron. By the authority of the Union of Allied Planets, you are hereby bound by law."

Saffron cursed under her breath, "wahg-ba DAN duh biao-tze!"

Looking furious some at the Alliance Police... Jayne spit on the ground in defiance.

But, Saffron then was in no condition to still stand for long. And, Jayne wasn't going to let his grip on her go.

After a bit of realization... They very reluctantly let themselves be escorted off the Jib-eseo Nolda...and onto a suddenly getting to be very familiar Tohoku Class city ship.

Presently, back in Jayne's bunk...

Mal heavily sighs. He mutters sadly under his breath, "tāmen zài yínhé zhōng tāmen suǒyǒu de sǐwáng fēngkuáng de mínjiān."

In very mixed feelings... Jayne concludes, "now you know."

There is a very awkward silence.

After a bit... Mal can't help but point out, "I still can't figure out one thing though: What's with the burns?"

Jayne slightly turns to him.

Kind of bitterly... Jayne remarks, "that night in my cell, I tried tearin' off one them damn security cameras so we coulda got away. You could see how that gone and went."

Mal figures cuttingly, "yeah. Punchin' and tearin' ain't the only way to go, Jayne. But, maybe you know now."

Jayne looks straight ahead again.

He deeply sighs. A tear falls from his face.

With a very faint smirk... And, kind of lightly... Mal suddenly supposes, "still... If by a real small chance I ever were still married to her... Faint uneasy chuckle. I would have gone down that road myself."

Glaring a little... Jayne mutters back, "is that supposed to make it better?"

Mal comments, "no: Not a whole lot. You can't blame me for least tryin' a little though."

Jayne's glare vanishes. But, he doesn't really answer back.

After a bit... Mal asks him, "so...and I know I might be asking for some trouble here... Was there anything else I ought to be knowing 'bout Saffron?"

Kind of uncomfortably in a other direction... Jayne answers, "yah: Now that you're askin'. I don't know how, Mal. But, she got Alliance to give her the two way. She had it in the medical bed with her last I saw her."

With some concern... Mal is quick to ask, "do they know it reaches Sunner range, Jayne?"

Jayne insists, "naw. Nothin' seemed to look like they did. I think she left that a secret: Least so she could protect my Sunner range two way and break out sooner."

Mal comments, "that's a mite comforting."

Disappointed sounding... Mal then turns to him, "we ain't getting it back, are we?"

Jayne adds, "I ain't real expectin' us to."

Mal adds awkwardly, "and just how did I come to be your aunt to bail you out? I'm sudden a mite curious."

Jayne asks, "that weren't you?"

There's a brief awkward silence.

Jayne then realizes, "must have drew up the identity days 'fore it: Case I were arrested."

Mal faintly laughs. He comments offhandedly, "yeah. That fits with her awful well."

Jayne doesn't laugh. He's just looking down, very faintly smirking over the thought.

After a bit... Jayne solemnly recalls, "there were another thing: Something she said I ought to tell you soon."

Looking a little surprised... Mal asks, "really?"

Jayne answers, "yeah."

Earlier, late that morning...

In the Tohoku Class city ship's Infirmary... Saffron was lying in a white sheeted medical bed.

The mostly gray medical monitor on the wall showed stable vital signs on the mostly very dark blue screen.

Cupped mostly gray black monitoring wires were on Saffron's forehead and all along her heavily bruised side. A ice pack was lying next to that very same side of her.

Alliance officers reluctantly gave Jayne ten minutes alone with Saffron: Them, and several security cameras.

The Alliance Commander onboard had realized it would make less trouble for them to let him.

Kind of nervously... Jayne was asking, "you all right?"

Saffron faintly laughed.

With a raised eyebrow... She uncomfortably remarked, "you mean aside from the pieces of Alliance crap over my flesh? You know how we both feel...and I'd like to not have Alliance recording it either."

Uncomfortably... Jayne was figuring, "damn right."

Nervously... Saffron was wondering, "although...you never told your crew? About "all the parts" that I could very well still give to you?"

With a very faint smile... Jayne assured her, "naw. That real ain't their business."

Saffron was faintly grinning. She added, "good."

With a kind of comforting hand on his... Saffron tried to be assuring, "although... Please don't think for a second I'm gone for good. Soon as I'm on my feet, I could run again."

She was moving off some of the sheet...showing Jayne his modified two way radio by her unbruised side.

Jayne was fairly stunned. But, in the midst of the cameras, he didn't bring it up.

With his very mixed feelings... Jayne was just very faintly laughing.

With a smirk... Saffron faintly laughed.

Solemnly... Saffron voiced, "although, before you go out on bail... There's something I want you to tell your captain: Something I should have said to him since he "found his honey at home"."

A little confused... Jayne was concluding, "all right."

Saffron was revealing, "my name is Saphra Andal."

Jayne looked even more confused at her.

With a faint amused roll of her eyes... Saffron told him, "you don't got to really get it: I know Saffron is simple and better for you."

With some mixed feelings... Saffron was confessing, "Saphra Andal is who I were born as...a young good ship mechanic looking to go to a academy to more legally graduate for it before I had to run. That's as much as I could say 'round these ruttin' cameras."

Soon after... Jayne was escorted out by Alliance officers...out to Mal's shuttle.

Presently, back in Jayne's bunk...

Mal faintly laughs. He figures, "so that's her real name. Never thought I'd see the answer straight up."

Confused again... Jayne can't help but ask, "what?"

Firmly... Mal concludes, "nothing. Still...thank you."

Jayne just very faintly nods, not turning around.

Mal gets up, heading out the door to Jayne's bunk.

On the way... He points out, "Jayne, your food is getting cold. Should I take it back, or...?"

With a very faint smirk... And, bent over still... Jayne says, "leave it in my bunk. I might have some later."

With a very faint smile... Mal just says, "okay."

He brings in the tray of food for Jayne left out from earlier.

Then, Mal closes the door behind him...leaving Jayne be with his lingering mixed feelings.


	8. S1, Ep 19: The Message Revisited

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

The Message Revisited(Double Edged Cut):

 _Teaser_

Down in Li Shen's bazaar, as Inara and Mal are walking through...

Mal comments casually, "struck out again, did you now?"

Kind of nervously... Inara answers, "not exactly. I asked the Guild. I tried asking Parliament about her. Either they don't know Saphra either..."

Sounding more serious... Mal figures, "...or they ain't tellin' most folk what she did ran from."

Inara adds, "basically."

Sounding frustrated... Mal moderately sighs.

He then reflects over, "it's like something out of a fable written by God! We got this priceless artifact, the biggest score of my unseemly career, and where did it all get us? No artifact, a gorram Alliance crackdown at the worst possible timin', a promise that would get us at least a million if Saffron could just get arrested already, she and Jayne get arrested only for us to bail him out on most of the cuts 'round the crew while she get to walk come soon or late, no two way...and 'side from Jayne now, we still don't real know if she's gonna play my crew over all again!"

He throws his arms down as he says the last part.

They both pause by a bend in the winding corridors of the bazaar so as to not be heard out in the corridors. Some pale dark green box lights styled décor are by them.

Looking down nervously... Inara concludes, "yeah. She worries me too. But..."

Mal asks, "what?"

Looking up... Inara brings up, "at least we don't have to worry about Stanton. He isn't wanting to turn on us: He mostly just wants a challenge."

Mal bittersweetly adds, "and Saffron's impended escape from one them Alliance cruisers got him taking it as a challenge and leaving the ship."

Kind of lightly... Inara remarks, "well, when you hear of someone fencing the Mona Lisa...anyone like him would want to try to fence the Lassiter next."

Mal starts to say, "well..."

Some young boys in gray and dark brown jackets are running past them. They're laughing and playing tag through the bazaar, mostly unnoticed past the crowd up ahead.

But, just as swiftly... Mal nonchalantly catches a certain mischievous young boy picking his pocket.

He retrieves a silvery item back from his hand and lightly shoves him away.

Inara looks faintly amused at Mal.

Mal then is quick to ask, "Mona Who?"

Inara looks down for a bit. She sighs deeply.

A little teary eyed... Inara gathers, "sometimes I think you're out of your league, Mal. But, since you are part of my affairs unless you're just saying no to me...you should consider telling me something about where we are."

A little teary eyed himself... Mal kind of admits, "I still thinking it over. Till then, you ought to stay clear of this. Gorramit Inara, I ain't even told Zoe."

Inara looks too shocked to say anything.

Seeming too nervous to just stand around... Mal offers her his hand.

Inara firmly takes his hand.

She lets him move her along a little before walking more herself.

Mal picks up a big faint light red sewing bead in a wooden bowl of them.

He faintly admires the craftsmanship. But, he puts it back just as quick.

Inara and Mal keep walking past hung over fabrics after hung over fabrics.

Uncomfortably... Inara then says, "Mal...I didn't know it was that serious."

More casually... Mal figures, "it's okay. Just want you to hear that straight out 'fore we got to the Post. Waiting on me, you take it as you like. I wouldn't wait on me. But, you I ain't."

The teariness in his eyes starts drying up.

Inara very faintly grins, letting the teariness in her eyes start to dry up.

Turning slightly to him... She mostly assures, "I waited many months for my prayer with you to be answered. I can wait for you."

Mal very faintly smirks. He concludes, "okay."

Inara figures solemnly, "I hope you will be."

Their hands awkwardly part.

Quickly changing the subject... Inara adds, "and if Saffron comes back with another offer?"

Firmly... Mal assures her, "I'll let you and Zoe know. Wouldn't want to be in the way of more trouble with her if we could."

Inara faintly nods.

Solemnly... She adds, "same here."

They reach a official looking section of the bazaar: With a sign saying "Post, Freight, and holding."

A woman passes by with a package.

In a casual tone... Mal is calling out, "Amnon!"

He raises his hand up as he walks toward Postman Amnon Duul.

Mal asks, "how you been?"

Postman Amnon Duul is standing on the opposite side of the shined up looking metal open frame windows of the Post.

Looking happy to see him... Amnon reflects, "Malcolm. An old friend's face is a balm in this age."

Inara faintly smiles to herself.

Mal is kind of hunched over one of the open frame windows.

Mal cuts to business, "I read your wave. You're holding some post for me?"

Sounding kind of nervous all a sudden... Amnon figures, "yeah. Got yourself quite a haul. You can sign for everyone, right?"

Mal just answers, "sure."

Amnon adds, "very good."

Amnon goes into a back room.

Mal starts filling out a form.

In a low cautious tone... Inara is wondering, "he looks kind of nervous. Do you know why?"

Not even looking up from the form he's on... Mal comments, "don't know. 'cept if it were Alliance coming to apprehend us, we wouldn't have made it in none this far."

A little annoyed... Inara comments back, "that's what you think, Mal."

Mal looks up, halfway from finishing the forms.

He's slightly glares to Inara.

He's about to say something.

But then... Book and River arrive, holding their ice cream balls on matching bowl shaped cookies on string.

The ice cream balls are called ice planets. But, they don't always come in chocolate or vanilla.

Book inquires, "any packages for me?"

Trying to seem more casual than he sounds... Mal answers, "don't know yet."

Book is quick to ask, "you all right there?"

Mal insists, "it's nothing, preacher."

Book just says, "uh-huh."

River tries to eat some of her ice planet, only for it to swing just out of reach.

Like a food lab technician... River comments, "my food is problematic."

Mal and Inara faintly smile in slight amusement to themselves.

Off to the counter by the Post... Jayne arrives, toting a couple boxes of ammo.

Jayne remarks, "girl's a mind readin' genius, can't even figure out how to eat a ice-planet."

He puts down his light grayish green backpack and the boxes of ammo before Mal.

Mal checks, "did you get everything?"

Jayne figures confidently, "yeah. They didn't have no rounds for the Buhnder. But, we're ammoed up pretty good. Got a good discount on account of my intimidating manner."

Jayne gives Mal his change.

Mal looks kind of suspicious at the paltry amount.

As though just remembering... Jayne digs out more money, handing it over to Mal.

Mal faintly smiles, looking satisfied.

Amnon returns...wheeling in a man-sized wooden crate.

Amnon tells, "this big one's addressed to you and Zoe, Mal."

A little confused... Mal deduces, "I don't remember ordering any parts. But, I'll sign for it anyhow."

He signs some more forms on the clipboard.

Amnon implies, "the two little packages are for Cobb."

He points to them with his arm as he says it.

Getting real curious... Jayne asks, "I got post?"

He fast walks over to the large crate.

Two small packages are waiting on top of it.

One is a white rectangular cardboard box. One is a square wooden box decorated in summer green and autumn red leaves.

Jayne picks both packages up.

Sounding somewhat concerned... Book suggests, "might we all want to step a few paces back before he opens them?"

Almost mockingly... Jayne says, "ha ha. One is from my mother."

Further in back of the Post... Mal has just handed back over the forms on the clipboard to Amnon.

There's a brief awkward silence between them.

Mal starts to figure, "okay. What's got you...?"

Amnon then reaches into his uniform...pulling out some white envelopes.

They both say across them in polished painted dark red letters:

When you're not out playing heroics.

Mal looks a little shook by the passage. But, he doesn't say anything about it.

Inara then sees Kaylee arrive, looking glum.

Around this time, while Inara and Kaylee are talking some...

Kind of nervously... Amnon explains a little, "I weren't sure I should give them to you by the counter. She seemed more than a mite shook."

Mal wonders, "who seemed?"

Amnon hands over the envelopes to Mal.

Mal takes them, pocketing them for later.

Amnon recalls, "she didn't say. But, she was strawberry blond. She said you'd know who she is soon as I told you."

Mal looks fairly stunned.

Amnon continues, "I asked if I should get help. She said no thank you. She said she didn't know how else to make up for what she done. She took off hours ago. But, there was a box that wasn't in the back before."

A little teary eyed now... Mal suddenly puts together, "a box to Jayne."

Amnon moderately sighs. He concludes, "yeah. I weren't sure. But, you sure sound sure."

He then asks, "I just have to ask you Malcolm: Is she a friend of yours?"

Thinking back on Saffron... Mal reflects solemnly, "you know Amnon...I really don't know."

Around then, back with Jayne and Book...

Suddenly realizing it might not be good to open both at once... Jayne puts down the wooden box.

Book curiously asks, "and the other?"

Jayne faintly grins. He comments, "other's gotta be from Saffron. Who ruttin' else would send a box like this for me?"

Book faintly smiles. He infers, "of course."

Jayne tears open the cardboard box.

He pulls out a letter.

Zoe and Wash wander up.

Simon is trailing behind them a ways.

With a toneless kind of a slow read... Jayne is reading the letter, "my dear boy. I hope you and Autumn are well and that you get this soon in your travels. Travels."

He very faintly smirks...thinking back some to his and Saffron's visit to Atreus.

Inara puts a comforting arm around Kaylee. Kaylee puts her head on Inara's shoulder.

Mal motions for Zoe to help him with the big crate.

Jayne keeps reading, "thank you again for the credits you forwarded. They have helped as Matty is still sick with the Damp-lung. But, she's lying pretty in good care for the year. Our taxes is forwarded for the year with the rest. I made you the enclosed..."

As he's digging in the cardboard box... He suddenly goes, "ooh: Enclosed!"

He reaches in.

He pulls out a certain woolly knitted hat with earflaps and a pom pom.

Clearly moved by it... Jayne smiles.

He puts it on.

He continues reading, "...enclosed to keep you warm in your travels. We might suss out enough for some travels ourselves. Hope to hear from you soon. Love, your mother."

He closes the letter.

He proudly adjusts his woolly knitted hat.

Jayne wonders, "how's it sit? Pretty cunning, don't ya think?"

Most everyone looks faintly amused at him. Wash looks kind of funny at him.

Wistful as she is though... Kaylee cheerfully says, "I think it's the sweetest hat ever."

Looking more amused now... Wash comments, "man walks down the street in that hat, people know he's not afraid of anything."

He points to Jayne a little around the last part.

Jayne faintly smirks. He confidently goes, "damn straight."

Mal and Zoe have just finished unlocking the crate. They're trying to pry it open.

Sounding a little out of breath... Mal comments offhandedly, "here's hoping we get some funny hats too."

As he's saying it... He and Zoe pry the lid off.

A certain polished gray coffin is seen in the crate.

It's glistening more than a mite in the light of the bazaar: Almost blindingly.

They open the coffin.

And, inside...the corpse of a young man is lying there: Arms crossed inward, eyes closed.

Mal and Zoe look at him with somber recognition.

As they look in, everyone gets very quiet and nervous.

The last to look is Jayne, who cranes his head in: Hat still perched good, looking quizzically at the body.

And, all too casual sounding... Jayne mutters, "what'd you all order a dead guy for?"

* * *

 _Act I_

Not long after bringing Tracey's body onboard Serenity, with everyone gathered around...

Jayne checks, "how do we know he ain't plague-ridden or some such?"

Zoe insists firmly, "we know."

Bordering on real nervous... Wash brings up, "we don't actually. I mean, I respect you guys have a history. But...what are you doing with that body?"

Zoe is reaching into the coffin, checking over the hands of Tracey's crossed arms.

River is on the verge of tears from the sight of the body. But...she also seems somewhat uneasy about some thoughts among them.

She can't place her finger on it: Despite looking down and feeling her forehead a little to try to find where in her brain it would be.

She moderately sighs to herself in frustration.

She faces the body, standing upright again.

Politely... Simon starts to suggest, "if you want me to do a proper autopsy..."

Kaylee turns to Simon.

On the verge of tears and almost incredulous... Kaylee is fast to assume, "cut him up like dead bessie?"

On the verge of tears himself... Simon has gone silent: Not knowing at all how to answer her.

Inara is a little teary eyed herself with everything. But, she's silent: Knowing it doesn't need to be said why for Tracey's body before them.

Kind of distant sounding... Mal insists, "not just yet. Thank you doctor."

Not even noticing the teariness in Simon's eyes... Kaylee mutters under her breath, "robot."

Then... Zoe pulls out a certain copperish red cyclical voice recorder from Tracey's hands.

Mal checks, "what do you got?"

Zoe gets back up.

She walks over to Mal.

With the press of a button... Zoe turns on the voice recorder.

The voice on it... It's at first hesitant sounding and weak, straining for breath.

But... It soon settles into a rhythm of sorts and into more audible words.

Tracey's voice recording plays, "uh...okay. Um...recording. Hi, I guess. This is a message for Zoe and for Malcolm Reynolds...and I really hope you all are the ones listening to it."

Everyone is soberly standing around, all quiet.

The voice recording continues, "I'll spare you the boring details. Falling in with untrustworthy folk, making a bunch of bad calls... Heavy sigh. Violent cough. All that matters is I expect to be shuffled off, and you two are the only people I trust to get me where I'm going...which is home. I'd like my body to be with my folks on St. Albans. We got the family plot there. And...my Mom and dad... Well, they deserve to know I died. You know...it's funny. We went to the war never looking to come back. But, it's the real world I couldn't survive. You two...carried me through that war. Now I need you to carry me just a little further: If you can. Tell my folks I wanted to do right by them and...that I'm at peace and all. Ah. When you can't run anymore, you crawl. And when you can't do that... Well...yeah, you know the rest. Thanks, both of you. Oh. Yeah. And, uh...make sure my eyes is closed, will you?"

The recording ends.

There's a continuing awkward silence about.

After some more awkward silence... Wash starts heading to the stairs.

Sounding a little concerned... Mal looks back to him, "Wash?"

Wash turns back.

Solemnly... Wash faintly assures, "St. Albans ain't but a two day ride if we burn hard enough."

Mal very faintly nods to him.

Wash very faintly nods back.

He then continues up for the cockpit.

Most everyone else starts to quietly leave for their bunks.

Mal slightly turns to the coffin. Zoe is already starting to get a hand on the lid to close it up.

Turning to Inara... Mal kind of awkwardly brings up to her, "that might make your schedule a mite..."

Inara puts a sympathetic hand on his.

Somberly... Inara tells him, "it's all right, Mal. Moderate sigh. Honestly...I'm a little worried for Kaylee and Simon, and not just because of the body. But, we've all been in worse scrapes."

Mal just nods again: Not much for saying much right now.

While Kaylee is listening to Tracey's recording over and over...

Mal, Zoe, and Inara are in the galley talking about good times with Tracey over drinks.

Meanwhile, in the cargo hold...

Book stands in front of the coffin: Bible in hand, head bowed.

Jayne is kind of noisily lifting weights.

He puts them down soon to change them out.

The metal more noisily clatters.

Book sharply turns around.

His arms are crossed as he does, looking straight over.

Jayne sits up.

Kind of nervous... Jayne says, "oh sorry, preacher. Am I makin' too much noise?"

Solemnly... Book concludes, "no, no. I was just...saying a few words. Don't know the boy's denomination. But..."

He points a little to the coffin when bringing up the second to last part.

Jayne hunches over some: Quite sweaty.

Solemn sounding himself... He figures, "oh, no. It's good. The Lord should oughta look after the dead."

There's a brief silence.

Jayne takes up his water bottle: Chugging some of it down.

Looking back up... Jayne suggests, "you wanna do a set? I'll spot you."

Book very faintly smiles. But, he just says, "not so terribly in the mood."

He turns back to the body in the coffin.

Sounding kind of out of breath... Jayne figures, "yeah. Most people is pretty quiet about now."

He reaches for his dark green towel. Soon, he's got it over his shoulders.

Jayne thinks outright, "me, I see a stiff...one I didn't have to kill myself... I just get the urge to, you know, do stuff. Work out or run 'round. Maybe get some trim if there's a willin' woman about..."

Book sharply turns back, sharply looking to him.

There's a brief awkward silence.

Jayne is quick to comment, "not that I get flush from corpses or anything. I least ain't that psychotic."

He has a kind of disturbed look on his face on the last part. But, it isn't just himself he's thinking about.

In a firm tone... Book concludes, "makes sense. Looking to feel alive, I would venture."

Suddenly thinking to Saffron though... He very faintly smiles to himself at the last part.

Jayne very faintly smirks. He adds, "for psychology, that don't sound half dumb. Faint chuckle."

He gets up.

He gets his hat hanging over one of the beams above.

Jayne solemnly reasons, "my kind of life don't last long, Preacher. So, I expect I'm invested in making good sport of it whilst I can."

He puts on his hat as he says the last part.

Book just very faintly nods...seeming to be almost lost in thoughts over his own life.

Jayne is holding on one of the handrails above, kind of dangling from it.

Jayne wonders, "you gonna read over me when I get taken down, Shepherd? Or, you figure I'm goin' gone to this special hell of the Lord?"

Book faintly smiles. He concludes, "oh, I suspect you or Saphra will be around long after we're all..."

Kind of glaringly... Jayne questions, "what do you ruttin' mean by that, preacher?"

Kind of assuringly... Book insists, "nothing to kill over, son. I'm just curious how long she'll last: With the kind of lives you have."

As they continue talking... River is silently walking to the coffin amidst the shadows of the cargo hold.

She stands on it. But, she almost stumbles back.

She holds her head. It's pulsing some with a headache.

Sounding better... Jayne starts to remark, "yeah? Well, offer up one them Alliance desert survival courses to Saffron if you..."

Jayne then notices River.

She's lying cat like over the coffin...with the side of her head that was just pulsing leaning against it.

She very faintly smiles: Knowing the pulsing that was just there is fading.

Looking real uneasy now... Jayne mutters, "what th... What the hell are you doing?"

Sounding uneasy and casual all at once... Book says, "oh. River, that might not be the best place to..."

Solemnly... River tries to be assuring, "I'm very comfortable. No more headaches by the voice in the storm."

Book and Jayne consider pulling her off. But, they hesitate.

Solemnly and kind of awkwardly... Book highlights, "I guess we do all have different reactions to death."

Soon after Serenity gets a warning shot off the port bow...

On a screen... A certain Alliance Lieutenant introduces himself, "this is Lieutenant Womack of Allied Border Enforcement. You are in possession of stolen goods and are ordered to cut thrust and prepare for docking."

Mal is quick to turn off the screen by the control panels.

Briefly turning to Zoe... Mal is quick to assume, "the Lassiter?"

Zoe reasons, "maybe."

With rising concern... Inara supposes, "you think Saffron tipped them off as soon as she was taken in custody to that satellite prison just to get back at us from that long ago?"

Mal puts back on the live feed on the screen.

At a near whisper... Zoe figures, "Allied Border Enforcement could take forty days to make good on a arrest. It ain't far from it."

With a faint awkward kind of smile... Mal addresses Lieutenant Womack, "this is Captain Reynolds. I think there's been a mistake."

Almost unemotionally... Lieutenant Womack concludes, "there's been a lot of mistakes, Captain Reynolds... The latest of which is you taking that crate."

With a hand still on the controls on the screen... Mal turns back to the others.

He mouths silently to them, "crate?"

Then... Sudden realization begins to come across Wash's, Zoe's, Inara's, and Book's faces.

Soon after Mal buys them all some time to go and check back on the coffin in the crate...

Mal, Jayne, and Zoe are coming in from the hall. Kaylee is walking faster after them.

Kaylee is already starting to protest, "we're checking his pockets, Captain? That ain't right!"

Dead serious... Mal comments under his breath, "neither's being blowed up. Nothing about this sits...right with me."

Looking in front of them... Jayne mutters, "what the gorram hell is she doing, Mal?"

For, River is sitting on the coffin: Still closed up.

She very nervously looks to them, teary eyed.

And, in a very sharp tone... River mutters, "no."

Kaylee and Simon are very stunned by this turn of events.

Tense looking... Mal and Jayne are about to reach for their guns.

On the verge of tears... Inara stands in front of them.

They hesitate.

Inara tries to assure everyone, "please Mal! I can reach out to her: Get her to accept he's dead without...!"

With a very faint assuring kind of smile... River suddenly interrupts the thought with her own, "I can hear his brain. There's little strands of life...life and pain...now."

* * *

 _Act II_

Some built up tears fall from River's face.

Everyone in the cargo hold looks stunned now, looking back at River.

There's a awkward silence.

After a bit though... Mal asks, "what are you...?"

Then...it suddenly hits him.

In his assuming... Mal brings up, "you mean he's living half corpsified and you never told?!"

Nervously... River explains, "sorry. Faint sniffle. Your brains weren't acting different then to tell in clouds. Now they are. They are."

Trying to be assuring... Simon says, "no one's going to hurt him, River. I'll check the body myself. It's all right to get off now."

He offers his hand to River.

River very faintly nods.

She takes his hand...letting him take her off the coffin so Mal and Zoe can bring out the body.

Kaylee and Inara sigh to themselves in heavy relief.

Mal and Zoe start carrying Tracey's body to the Infirmary, leaving the coffin behind.

On the way to the Infirmary though... Inara offers to take River back to her bunk.

With a very faint nod... Simon lets her go.

He continues on to the Infirmary.

In the hall... Inara and River hug each other tight: Very much relieved that it didn't come to blows.

Some tears fall from their faces.

They stand there like that for some time.

Then, Inara and River continue on to Simon and River's bunk.

River lies down in bed: Still emotionally shaken from the lingering tension that almost burst through the crew like a grenade...and from mental images from Tracey cycling in her head that she hasn't even been able to tell much from because of all the mental lingering.

But... River very faintly smiles.

For, Inara is there with a sympathetic hand on hers: Helping keep all the mental lingering away.

Not long after Serenity is nicely hidden in a ice cave...

The mag drops start to drop across the snow blanketed land around them.

Meanwhile, in Simon and River's bunk...

River is kind of sitting up in bed: Holding on to the bedframe with one hand behind her.

Simon and Inara are both there.

Simon had been telling River some stories of friends he made in medical school.

Inara was in the middle of telling River some stories of friends she made in Sihnon years ago...when the lights above go off and on.

The whole ship shakes.

Further out in the hall... A heap of ceramic dust comes down from the stairs.

Nervous... Inara and Simon look up for a bit.

But then... River starts counting, "a thousand one. A thousand two..."

Kind of uneasily... Simon asks, "River?"

Very calm all a sudden... River explains, "shh. I'm counting between lightning and thunder to see if the storm's coming or going. Thousand five."

Inara faintly smiles.

Simon very faintly nods. But, he doesn't look assured a bit.

Around then...

Tracey comes up the hall, sneaking over to the cockpit.

Jayne is fast walking down the hall, further up for the cargo hold.

Under Tracey's clothes... The cast near his heart has hints of mostly dried up dark red liquid.

Simon ran a check on his body.

He thought Tracey was going into cardiac arrest. So, he surgically cut near there to try to get the temperature to go down there with some ice...only for Tracey to wake up spooked with a startle.

But, when he overhears Book and Mal talking in the cockpit... Tracey looks more spooked than ever.

Sounding on edge... Mal asks, "give ourselves up, shepherd?"

With a firm look... Book insists, "it's our only chance, captain."

* * *

 _Act III_

Not long after Zoe shoots Tracey in the chest...

Kaylee comes up fast from her bunk behind Tracey...not seeing his pistol out.

Mal calls out, "Kaylee, get out of here!"

Tracey turns to her.

Before she can react... Tracey swings an arm around her...pulling her against him as a human shield.

Mal is at the open door to the cockpit, gun out and ready.

Very much on edge... Tracey shouts back, "gorramit, Mal!"

He fires a wild shot for the open door.

Mal ducks behind the doorframe.

Tracey moves Kaylee down a side way and down a set of stairs in the cargo hold.

Kaylee is open mouthed and wide eyed: Still very much in shock.

Still manic from being shot... Tracey says all too casual like, "I probably scared you back there a little bit, didn't I? Did you see the look on his face? Great."

Having had more than enough scares for a day... Kaylee is about to try to slip herself some from his grip.

But then...she sees some dark red liquid seeping down his shirt.

In rising concern... Kaylee points out, "you're really bleedin'."

Tracey adds, "yup. They shot me."

Wide eyed again... Kaylee asks, "wh...why?"

Another mag drop comes down.

The lights flicker on and off.

They get to the catwalk.

Close to tears now... Tracey mutters shakily, "'cause they act they have emotions. But really, Mal, Zoe... Faint sniffle! They want to sell me off!"

They double over, almost falling over.

But, Tracey keeps going: Kind of dragging her towards the airlock for Shuttle Two.

Kaylee tries to point out, "but you were close all those years before in the war, and..."

Sweating like crazy and out of breath... Tracey comments shakily, "...and when you can't walk you crawl. But...that now were just war. You won't let them sell me off, will you Kaylee? 'cause, you know, I think you and I really...a moment back there..."

Another mag drop goes off. The lights flicker on and off.

Close to tears herself... Kaylee tries to tell him, "Tracey...you got to get help. You ain't well."

Tracey suggests, "you know Kaylee, you're right. We can take this shuttle and just go?"

Nervously... Kaylee says outright, "no. I ain't goin' anywhere with you."

Mal then cuts in, "nobody's going anywhere, private."

Mal walks down the stairs from above, gun aimed right for Tracey.

Tracey pulls Kaylee in front as a shield. But, his gun is aimed right for Mal.

Kaylee calls out, "whoa Captain! Couldn't have come sooner?"

Nothing but sheer panic... Tracey mutters, "don't make me do it."

Zoe is slowly moving up the stairs, armed and ready.

Mal angrily glares his way, standing on the catwalk.

Coldly... Mal mutters, "far as I can see, nobody's made you do anything. You brought this on yourself. Got in over your head with those stone cold gut-runners. Then you panicked: Brought the whole mess down on all of us."

Tracey insists, "that ain't what happened."

Mal figures, "ah yes, that's what happened. That trail of bodies Womack was talkin' about...I'm startin' to think some of that trail was left by you."

Close to tears... Tracey mutters back, "and you ain't left a trail of bodies, work you and Zoe do? Faint sniffle! What are we now, Mal?!"

Mal brings back up, "you want to talk 'bout the war, Tracey? Those bodies we left, they weren't the bodies of people helpin' me out."

Tracey mutters sarcastically, "and you're helpin' out lots, 'cause I needed a chest wound."

Mal figures, "that can be seen to."

Tracey mutters, "do you think I'm stupid?"

Dead serious... Mal figures, "in every way possible."

Another mag drop goes off.

The whole ship shakes. The lights flicker on and off.

Tracey loudly cocks his gun.

He's spinning to try to see where a loud sound was coming from.

Kaylee slips herself free of Tracey's grip.

Just seconds after...Jayne violently punches Tracey down in his side from behind.

The pistol goes off, flying out of his hand.

Tracey goes down with a loud thud, coughing violently.

Mal very faintly smiles. He comments, "thought you was gonna be down there with shepherd."

Teary eyed... Jayne figures simply, "I were...till he had a ruttin' gun out at Kaylee. I couldn't just let him, Mal."

Earlier, in the cockpit...

Jayne deduced, "you sure 'bout this Mal? I'm for no getting snowed in permanent much as the next guy. But, if it were me looking to shoot him, you'd kill me. 'sides, this is the gorram feds: They'll still arrest us."

Book figured, "no. I don't think Lieutenant Womack is really for The Alliance."

Jayne then realized, "ohh. That tears that then."

Zoe very faintly smirked. She figured, "looks like."

Jayne highlighted, "still... Moderate sigh. I already made a downright unsettling shot at someone I real care for. I ain't gonna be responsible for another, Mal. I ought to be in my bunk."

Zoe and Wash were looking stunned. Mal was kind of stunned himself.

Jayne was already walking out of the cockpit.

But, halfway to his bunk... Mal told him something that gave him pause.

With very mixed feelings... Mal figured, "I appreciate you being truthful: As much as that mighty hurts me to be admittin' to. But, you don't got to shoot him. You can go with Book when Womack's men come to try to apprehend us."

Jayne very faintly smirked.

He was already starting off for the cargo hold.

Presently...

The mag drops stop dropping. The call to Lieutenant Womack has already been made.

Mal very faintly nods. He just adds, "good hit."

Jayne very faintly nods back.

Zoe and Mal hurry over to Tracey to check his vitals.

Not long after Lieutenant Womack and his men come and go...

Mal, Zoe, and Simon are crouched by Tracey's body.

Tracey coughs violently some.

He realizes, "so...that was the plan?"

Mal very faintly smiles. He nods.

Fairly stunned... Tracey says, "that was a... That was a good plan."

Mal confirms, "I think so."

Somberly... Tracey admits, "umm... You...you weren't that far off about me bein' stupid. I... I never could get my life workin' right. Not once after the war."

Turning to Kaylee... Tracey struggles to find the words to say, "Kaylee. Um... I'm so sorry. I... Faint sniffle! Violent cough! I didn't..."

Trying to still smile... Kaylee very faintly smiles: Despite the teariness forming in her eyes.

She assuringly tells him, "it's all right. You just needed more help from the captain than you thought."

Tracey reasons out loud, "hmm. You're right. Violent cough! I was needing it."

Mal very faintly smirks over it.

Turning back to him... Tracey asks, "Sarge?"

Mal says, "right here."

Tracey mumbles nervously, "Um... That stupid message of mine, and, and...I was tryin' to play you guys. Violent cough! And now... Violent cough! You'll, you'll do it? You'll get me home?"

Zoe answers firmly, "yeah."

Mal says, "well, you know the old saying."

Tracey sadly laughs a little.

Tracey recalls, "when you can't run, you crawl... And when you can't crawl, when you can't do that..."

He coughs violently. Brief hints of a splatter of dark red liquid fall from his mouth.

Zoe finishes the thought, "...you find someone to carry you."

Tracey nods, struggling to stay awake.

And, with one last breath...his head slumps.

He's dead.

Some bittersweet tears fall from Kaylee's face.

Mal's face hardens.

And, from across the catwalk... Jayne has a pained look on his face.

But, he's eerily silent about it through it all.

Not long after...

Jayne and Mal are alone, still up on the catwalk.

They're both looking over the railing.

Teary eyed... Jayne is muttering, "why'd he had to go and die, Mal? I didn't even much as shot him 'cause you woulda wanted him not dead."

Getting teary eyed himself... Mal pinpoints grimly, "I appreciate it. But... Heavy sigh. It ain't matterin' what hit, Jayne: We just carried the bullet a while. His damn sold off organs just couldn't take no more."

Jayne very faintly nods. But, he keeps looking over the railing.

With that... Mal walks away, leaving Jayne to his thoughts.

What Mal doesn't see is the pained look on Jayne's face softening a little.

Not very long after...

There's a funeral for Tracey, right in his homestead.

And in the midst of the funeral... Inara moves next to Mal, solemnly holding his hand in hers.

Kaylee moves next to Simon, quietly holding his hand in hers.

The following night, on Serenity...

In the galley... Kaylee is standing there, facing Mal.

Mal brings up, "it's for you."

He hands over a certain envelope: One of the ones with "when you're not out playing heroics" written across.

Kaylee takes the envelope.

Despite the faint teariness lingering in her eyes... She faintly smirks.

She remarks, "ohh, it's already got pretty words. Who's it from?"

Uncomfortably and teary eyed... Mal concludes, "I don't know for sure. But, I have a feeling you ought to read it soon. Life is too damn short for ifs and maybes."

He was lying about the first part: He knew all too well who sent it.

But, on the last part... He was thinking in particular to Tracey, Inara, his home planet Shadow, Saffron, and Private Declan.

Kaylee concludes somberly, "all right captain. I will."

She leaves Mal be, heading down to her bunk.

Mal stands in the middle of the galley for what seems to be a long while.

Then... He heads down to his bunk...where the second unopened envelope is waiting for him.

He heavy sighs.

He's hunched over the side of his bed, holding the envelope.

After a bit... He finally decides to open it.

He unfolds the near whitish blue parchment paper.

He reads from the black inked letter.

The letter says:

 _Malcolm Reynolds,_

 _I know I hurt you and your crew more than once. I don't blame you for hating me._

 _On the run, I made myself a lot of enemies._

 _I know. It's not like I could just go back and erase what I done._

 _I know what I left at the Post could have got your crew worried._

 _But, if I could be at all forgiven...I didn't know how else to say I'm really sorry._

 _I don't blame you for not believing me. But, least to have it all even..._

 _There's something I was kind of naked with you about in the shuttle._

 _I thought just the money and priceless artifacts would be enough. It wasn't._

 _We were engaged to be married. So, I did and didn't marry him._

 _One night...I couldn't take it._

 _I realized I still had feelings that weren't just greed or playing parts: I just didn't real know them then._

 _It was keeping me up crying at night. So, I left Durran Haymer._

 _I wish I never even played a part with that wahg-ba DAN duh biao-tze!_

 _Although...I actually hated The Alliance long 'fore it. That's why I left._

 _I didn't even ruttin' want to grab myself a artifact that night...because I was broken up._

 _It took a good six years to really get over it. That was when I thought of robbing him of his prized Lassiter._

 _From a brilliant beautiful double crossing snake,_

 _Saphra/Saffron_

 _Post Wave_

 _Jayne has seen me really naked: The real genuine article I wanted to find for so long._

 _So, he already knows the part about Durran._

 _But, you know...I got close to getting really naked with you._

 _And, you know what else?_

 _I like you naked._

Mal's expression softens somewhat.

On the P.W. part... Mal bittersweetly chuckles.

And he says to himself, "yeah. She's dead crazy, that one."

Around then, in Kaylee's bunk...

Kaylee is mostly lying on her bed, kind of sitting up.

She opens the envelope.

She unfolds the near whitish blue parchment paper.

She reads from the black inked letter.

As she starts to read it... Kaylee moderately sighs with mixed feelings.

The letter says:

 _Kaylee_ _Frye_ _,_

 _I...I never was good with making up for what I done. Not since I was on the run._

 _But, because I like you, Jayne... Yeah: Maybe also Malcolm._

 _...I'm actually tryin'._

 _If there's someone on Serenity that is hurt most for what I did to Jayne, your crew, and your ship...it's you._

 _I'm really sorry: For every thing._

 _If there was anything else I could do to make a hell of sense to Jayne again, I would._

 _It hurt: Knowing I hurt him like that._

 _I...I didn't know what else to do. Really._

 _I'm surprised you were even wantin' to reach out once more before. On the run, I made a lot of enemies._

 _I know. It's not like I could just go back and erase what I done._

 _I know what I left at the Post could have got the crew worried._

 _But, if I could be at all forgiven...I didn't know how else to say I'm really sorry._

 _So, if there's anything I could do to make it up to you..._

 _Rob a bank, pick some strawberries, stole some engine parts and bits, let you be on me or the other way 'round... I really do mean anything, Kaylee._

 _I also still got that modified two way radio. So, that could come sooner than you're figuring it would._

 _Yeah. I don't blame you for hating me._

 _But, if there's anything I could do to make it up to you... You know just how to reach me and ask._

 _Just being honest,_

 _Saphra/Saffron_

Though, past the bittersweet teariness lingering in her eyes... Kaylee laughs hard at the next to last part.

After a bit of catching her breath... She widely smiles in amusement.

More cheerfully... She says to herself, "oh my god. Laugh! Was I just asked out by her?"

Then, all of a sudden... Her expression changes to worry.

And Kaylee realizes, "if I have though...how do I tell her I ain't really interested without her taking it wrong?"

Around then, in Jayne's bunk...

Jayne is sitting on the edge of his bed.

He has a mostly solemn look on his face. His hat is on the edge of the bed next to him.

He has the wooden box in his hands.

He's quick to open it: Almost tearing off the silver tinted hinges in his eagerness.

In the box... There's a folded up near whitish blue letter and a mostly whitish red motherboard styled computer disk with greenish yellow and green computer circuitry.

He unfolds the letter, already beginning to read it.

The letter says:

 _Jayne Cobb,_

 _I hope you're not still kinda kicking yourself over what I did._

 _But, I don't really blame you: I still blame myself._

 _If it's a part you have to play for yourself to feel better before we could be back together, then go play it._

 _I could grab up some rich folk's money and get back to playing parts like I usually have to survive. I got time._

 _But, don't worry Jayne: I won't go after friends of your crew._

 _I really don't want to be arrested again or to ever hurt you again._

 _I also know you might be missing the two way radio I stole._

 _But, 'cause I got it... How about you just get over having it and just let me have it, gunny?_

 _You always do like the touch of my naked flesh on your things. 'sides, your crew could sometimes use another partner to do things right._

 _Although...you are the most special partner in crime I could find in the Verse._

 _Oh, and long as it isn't in the cards for us to be as one flesh one on one... We could talk over the two way radio least every two weeks: When you're not out playing heroics._

 _Also...you got to know: There's something I've wanted to tell you ever since we were arrested._

 _Ruttin' Alliance cameras though made me put it off._

 _You asked about where I was raised and the part of me of being real young._

 _Maybe I kinda never stopped being young: Going out for thrills, money, and pounds of muscle flesh to love._

 _Although... The computer disc I got for you answers those questions._

 _If you want to share it with Malcolm, you could. I couldn't get mad at you for that._

 _I'm not expecting you to look right away. I get it if you don't._

 _But, when you do look..._

 _Yeah, I got myself comfortable enough to tell you. You're welcome._

 _Love you,_

 _Saffron_

Jayne faintly smirks over it all.

He takes out the computer disc.

Kind of forgetting anything else... He heads out of his bunk carrying it.

Soon after, in Inara's shuttle...

Mal, Jayne, and Inara are there.

Looking somewhat hesitant... Inara puts in the computer disc into the disc slot from the right side of her Cortex screen's frame.

It starts loading.

Uncomfortably... Jayne comments, "you sure this a good idea, Mal? Saffron ain't said nothing 'bout..."

Mal figures, "well then, I'll just say Inara eavesdropped on me. Don't think on it much, Jayne."

Jayne very faintly smirks.

Inara glares warningly at Mal. She comments sarcastically, "thank you Mal. It's "nice" you think of me as a spying whore."

That unsettles Mal.

But, with mostly solemn thoughts he's thinking on still, he doesn't say much.

Inara turns back to the Cortex screen.

On the Cortex screen... Perfect copies of classified Alliance intelligence reports come up in stark silver rimmed mostly reddish brown windows. The documentation is in black ink.

A globe of the planet Bellerophron and a fourteen digit Alliance dedicated source box identification number is in the bottom left corner.

But, as Inara, Jayne, and Mal start to read over the reports... It's becoming all too clear that that was only where it was copied from.

Above the reports are darkish blue 3D half renderings and partial renderings for 3D printer restorations: Of candlesticks, of books, of store signs, of planks with doorknobs...and so on.

There's a note in the bottom right corner.

It says:

 _I...am the only one._

 _I...really tried. Tried to make it right by them._

 _I played a part in part to get out a wave over it. No one else in the Verse...believed that wave._

 _I...couldn't even make restorations with what little I could remember._

 _I would of even kept the ship. But, I sold all the parts just to survive._

 _I...couldn't find anything of them. They're all dead!_

 _God!_

 _God, I am the only one._

Eight to nine years ago...

It was in the middle of the Unification War. 2509.

In the stark white tint cast by the White Sun... A Alliance intelligence report came from over Di Yu.

Di Yu is just covered in mountains, thin river deltas, and wide circles of groves of trees. Even every town has been spaced out by at least twenty miles on account of how many mountains there are.

While mostly stark gray bat styled Alliance Fast Attack Ships were beginning to turn the tide of the war... A secret ground missile base on Di Yu had shot and killed some Alliance pilots on patrol just reaching atmo with missiles "as a test run".

That was the wave Browncoats sent over the Cortex. But, it was really meant to scare The Alliance into considering surrendering to the Browncoats for the greater good: Scaring them with the very possibility of making more secret missile bases just like it to turn the tide of the war in their favor.

A fleet of AFAS came together in the black. Alliance operatives went down to the surface to try to gather intelligence.

They narrowed it down to one town. Huǒ Gǔ.

Children were dancing down the mountainside with the wind in their hair. Border folk were talking among themselves, taking in the horse races, trading ceramics for ships, and ordering drinks all around.

Amongst the talking, there was one potential student for The Alliance's mechanics academy who was getting talked about for months. Her name was Saphra Andal.

She was close to River's age back then. Even then, it was hard to tell Saffron's age.

She had a dark red flower in her hair wherever she went.

She was unofficially a mechanics assistant for a elderly woman mechanic with medium gray hair. But, she was really into fixing up ship parts: Not caring much if her very light green to light red flowery dresses got greasy, if the elderly mechanic got moody sometimes, or for the scoldings she got when she got home to her mother and father.

Meanwhile... Alliance operatives realized the next "test run" was going to be tomorrow.

The Browncoat they captured took his own life rather than tell them anything, and they still had no idea where around the town the missiles would be launching from.

And so, with dawn coming close... The several Alliance Commanders in the fleet issued these orders:

Burn the town of Huǒ Gǔ to the ground.

Classify all folk in the second Alliance Intelligence report under Killed for Open Resistance before sending a official wave to Parliament. Burn every copy of the first Alliance Intelligence report as requested by Parliament.

There was a lot of unease and tension across the fleet.

But, in spite of the teariness in the eyes of most all of the Alliance officers there... They fired all their turrets upon the town of Huǒ Gǔ like a rainfall of fire.

Most folk were just getting up in their beds...screaming before the flames and smoke.

The cactus pots burned to ash. The store fronts and houses burned in wind and fiery dust.

Saphra was sleeping by herself inside the workshop. She was up late fixing a shuttle.

But, when the flames burnt through the door... The smell of the flames woke her up with a terrified startle.

She did the only thing she felt she could: Run for the shuttle.

On mostly impulse... She piloted it out real quick.

The flames ahead were rid of the oxygen it could burn and blew away.

But, the shuttle windshield was soon completely covered in soot.

Against the loud crackling of the flames carried by the morning mountain wind... She swore some very hard to hear Chinese under her breath.

And, as quickly as it started... There was a loud crash.

Hours after... Saphra got herself up.

Saphra groaned violently. She clutched her side, struggling to stay upright against the desert clearing's heat.

The shuttle behind her had its windshield shattered. Its battered and torn ceramics had cracks all over.

She pressed on though, walking past some trees splintered to soot covered woodchips.

But, when she got back... There were only circles of ash and burnt down woodchips.

She dug through the ash with her bare hands, determined to find anyone.

She found the burnt corpse of a child.

She couldn't take the sight before her any more.

She was crying, bent over the corpse.

She murmured somberly, "no."

And, up to the sky... She screamed at the top of her lungs, "no! ! !"

Presently...

Inara, Mal, and Jayne are all teary eyed.

Not sure at all what to say right now... Mal very nervously gulps.

Very much in shock... Inara says, "oh my god."

She tries to hold back tears. But, they still fall from her face.

And... Jayne can't help but think back to a part of Saffron's letter to him:

 _Also...you got to know: There's something I've wanted to tell you ever since we were arrested._

 _Ruttin' Alliance cameras though made me put it off._

 _You asked about where I was raised and the part of me of being real young._

 _Maybe I kinda never stopped being young: Going out for thrills, money, and pounds of muscle flesh to love._

 _Although... The computer disc I got for you answers those questions._

 _If you want to share it with Malcolm, you could. I couldn't get mad at you for that._

 _I'm not expecting you to look right away. I get it if you don't._

 _But, when you do look..._

 _Yeah, I got myself comfortable enough to tell you. You're welcome._

 _Love you,_

 _Saffron_


	9. S1, Ep 20: Like Well Water

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Like Well Water:

 _Teaser_

Out of the black... The atmosphere of Sihnon itself shines in the thick of dawn of the White Sun.

Many kilometers away... Serenity parts ways with Inara's shuttle.

Inara is piloting the shuttle, coming about in a slow descent for Sihnon.

She is in a mostly gold leaf sleeveless dress with some big very dark blue ribbons diagonally along it. She's wearing a pair of small reddish black orb like earrings.

The reddish white capped mountain ranges are becoming visible now in the windshield.

Mostly brownish red Central Cortex Beacon Relays tower over them, with white starred mostly blue satellite dishes all over. With help from Tohoku Class city ships and their Cortex beacon relays, they keep the Cortex running.

All the Central Planets have Central Cortex Beacon Relays. But, only in Sihnon are they not hidden in towering buildings and gone to atmo blackout from most scanner readings.

Folks in Sihnon are very proud of their accomplishments in telecommunications.

Inara told herself she wasn't leaving for good. She told Mal she just needed to clear her mind for a few days.

But... She gets teary eyed.

And, she can't help but think to herself:

 _I've been running from something all right._

 _Moderate sigh. It's not all right._

 _Why would I want to leave Serenity? That's what I keep asking myself._

 _But, if my home on Sihnon was serenity once... And, if I'm just beating myself up with "stooping" to stay with Mal and his lashing out..._

 _I don't want to ask this myself. But...am I just running from history that will play out in a similar way?_

 _Faint sniffle!_

 _It's kind of petty it was Saphra's beginnings as a pained liar that's made me really ask myself that question._

 _She was running from history playing out in a similar way. That's why she began living a lie._

 _Moderate sigh._

 _I'm honestly not sure now if I should hate her. But, I know I still hate her._

 _As for me? I'm caught between stories: One that The Alliance doesn't approve of, one that The Guild and The Alliance sometimes approves of too well...and one that no one but Nandi and myself really knows about._

Looking down... Inara deeply sighs.

Suddenly... A proximity alarm goes off with a chone.

Inara looks up.

She realizes it's the shuttle's proximity alarm. For, a mountainside is just minutes away.

Inara quickly steers the shuttle left of the mountainside.

She clears the mountainside.

She takes some deep breaths of relief: Back on course.

Up ahead... Great walls of bright red to pale tan stone and tamped earth with shiny white wooden gates surround the cities. They interconnect with copperish docking bays and each other in a intricate beautiful coral reef of security.

They have ten million Alliance reserve military officers under The People's Military of Sihnon to defend the cities at any time. No doubt all paid really well to stand around and sleep up there in their fancy rooms most times.

Looking out to Sihnon... Inara faintly beams to herself: Despite the teariness in her eyes.

Inara's shuttle lands in a docking bay.

Metallic gray phoropter like green lit ring frames of rendered harmless X-Ray scanners are built into the walls.

They automatically scan anyone coming in: Right to the DNA level.

Even though it's not lethal, not even most folk on Sihnon like to think about that much.

As Inara's shuttle lands... A docking bay attendant broadcasts a wave to her shuttle.

The docking bay attendant is on screen: With very dark brown hair tied in a bun and a mostly very dark red gold lined Chinese dress. A background is also on screen: With a red tinted mountaintop before a held up Chinese fan.

The attendant greets, "welcome to Sihnon, Inara Serra. How may we make your stay comfortable?"

Politely... Inara answers, "I appreciate your offer. On any other occasion, I'd be staying to be comfortable. But...could you just tell me if anyone owns the Serra house in Ashen?"

A little off put by this... The attendant assumes, "okay. It's a private matter?"

Kind of nervously... And, with a slight glare... Inara points out, "I think so. I thought though I sent in a wave ahead of time to The Guild with my reasons."

The attendant pauses for a bit, looking at a side screen on her computer.

She then turns back to Inara.

Sounding embarrassed... She apologizes, "Ō. Wǒ dǒngle. I'm sorry. It's just standard Sihnon procedure."

With the glare gone in her eyes... Inara insists assuringly, "I know. It's all right."

With a very faint smile... The attendant says, "thank you Inara. I hope your next stay will be more pleasant."

Inara says more kindly, "thank you. I sincerely hope so as well."

As she says it though... She looks kind of nervous still.

And, she's thinking to herself:

 _Only...where am I really going to stay?_

* * *

 _Act I_

Not long after...

From pale white and gold to pale blue and copper... Chinese and Japanese pagodas, a Companion House for every big city, and Middle East styled stone houses line most of the stone carved roads and streets.

Middle class folk in rickshaws and shuttle styled hovercars of reddish gold, purple, and yellow speed by.

Companions in lovely dresses and suits and middle class folk in mostly dark blue and white suits talk among themselves. Some stop to smell the Chinese gardens with their golden barred gates.

Wooden street signs in Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, and English are plenty. Paintings of geometric shapes are hung up on opposite street corners from paintings of Buddha and Jesus.

In the city of Ashen... Inara is walking from back way to back way: Not wanting to draw a lot of attention.

Soon, she comes to the front door of a particular stone house.

The door has a mostly white flowery wooden sign smelling of incense.

But, in very dark blue ink... The sign warns:

This is a sacred home under Sihnon law. Only the Serras may enter without Alliance authority.

Inara nervously sighs to herself, closing her eyes. She stands there kind of shakily.

She knew it was as the docking bay attendant told her. But...the full weight of the realization had finally come.

And... She's thinking to herself:

 _I can't run again from the beginning of my life here on Sihnon. It's a important part of my cycles of rebirth._

 _That I have been avoiding confronting this this long is petty for my karma and my spirit._

 _Very faint chuckle._

 _One can say the same of my impending relationship with Mal...and the barriers we have put up so long for each other in name calling and swept up moments of disillusions._

She finally opens her eyes.

And, with a slow cautionary pull of one of the large yellow bronze handles... Inara walks in.

She closes the door behind her.

Like most every home on a Central Planet that isn't Persephone... The inside walls are lined in a dome of sorts of fiberglass: Full of wiring and evenly distributed scanner equipment.

The temperature, humidity, the security alarm, screens for the system, the color of the lights, a Alli-Ray disc playing from a Alliance dedicated source box, the usually stark gray or white Alliance home sets of kitchen appliances, and even the wind fans are all maintained through the fiberglass. To bring up the screens or control it without them, it can be voice responsive, adrenaline responsive, DNA scan responsive, touch responsive, or more than one of the four.

Whether on Persephone or not, the wind fans are The Alliance's version of a vacuum cleaner. But, The Alliance strongly recommends cable tethering down all the breakables and what not down before turning it on.

But, in the Serra home... Nothing is on.

Inara's shadow blends all too well in the very dim darkness before her.

Years of neglect have left it to Alliance officers themselves to cut the power for the house.

Cobwebs are in the corners of the walls. Above the door, there's cobwebs as thick as hammock rope.

Noticing the cobwebs and slow crawling spiders around... Inara makes a uneasy disgusted face.

The fiberglass is cracked wide open in the back of the living room. Shards of fiberglass stained in dried dark red liquid are collecting dust on the pale red lined orange carpet.

And, lying in a yellowish white sheeted bed...is a goldish wooden coffin. The remains of a bunch of completely burnt away red incense sticks are in a silver dish by the bed.

Teary eyed... Inara is tempted to bend down by the fiberglass shards.

And, Inara thinks to herself:

 _Deep sigh._

 _Yes, mother. It's been too long with a prayer left unsaid._

 _I know you're certainly long gone now. I know now you gave up hoping for me to come back and apologize._

 _The vacancy since I left, the unkemptness of the house... They clench the truth of what happened._

But, from the corner of her eye... Inara suddenly sees the coffin.

Inara walks over to the bed before it.

And, as she does... Inara thinks to herself:

 _But, it's better I pray for you now... Faint sniffle! ...because you're who I never could save, mei-mei._

Some silent tears fall from Inara's face. But, she doesn't really notice them.

Because, next to the coffin... There's a picture in a copperish picture frame she's looking to.

It's a picture of a three year old girl, with somewhat short black hair, a mostly white yellowish set of toddler clothes, and a barely visible abnormal brittleness with her skin.

The girl in the picture...is Inara's sister Isara: Looking happy kind of crawling on all fours in the grass.

Many years ago, when Isara and Inara were only four...

The bed sheet seemed to be a still dark blue wave of tears. The Alliance hospital lights looked all the brighter.

The cold steel ended paddle like defibrillators were held over the bare chest of a very dark brown medium haired man. He was lying mostly under the sheet.

Drips of dark red liquid were seeping from his cold bluish severely blistered skin everywhere.

The Alliance doctor was calling out, "clear!"

He shocked him with the deliberators again. A sharp muffled shock was heard.

But, soon... The low rounded beeping came to a sudden loud beep.

All the mostly dark and light blue screened monitor showed was flatline.

With a gloved hand, the Alliance doctor checked the man's pulse.

A couple was seen, looking very nervous. They had been standing there the whole time.

The man had medium very dark brown hair, a thin matching mustache, and a black business suit. His name was Mitchell. The woman had slightly long curly black hair and a brown lined mostly yellow dress. Her name was Ibarra.

The Alliance doctor sighed heavily.

Sadly turning to them... The doctor says, "I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Serra. There was nothing we could do."

Ibarra began to sob.

Mitchell held her close, sniffling hard. Silent tears fell down his face.

That night, in the Serra house...

Everyone else was asleep in the two well kept mostly yellow bronze bedrooms.

On the faintly humming fiberglass... Over a greenish blue lit inside wall section... Mitchell was looking at two pictures on a Cortex screen.

One looked exactly like the picture of Isara in the picture frame.

The other was from months ago: Of Inara as a four year old.

She had slightly long very dark brown curly hair, a worn out mostly white yellowish set of toddler clothes...and a barely visible abnormal brittleness with her skin.

She was drawing with a bulky red play pen on a sideways Cortex screen. The digitally rendered drawing was of some shooting stars circling around the Earth-That-Was.

As Mitchell kept looking at the two pictures... He kept being flooded in echoes fresh from the day:

It was late stage epidplasa. I'm sorry for his death. But, there's nothing we could've done to save your brother!

Well, tell that to my girls doctor!

Mister Serra, I don't think that would...

Mitchell Serra, calm down! I'm sorry about this doctor. He isn't usually...

Well, we're home now dear: Safe and sound.

Can't we sleep on it, Mitchell? That usually helps with...

Dear, I can't calm down. Not now!

Mitchell faintly sniffled.

He was hunched over, trying to hold back the tears with closed eyes.

But, silent tears kept falling.

Though, as they did... His eyes were darkening.

And, he was thinking to himself:

 **I'll find a way to protect you. I have to. I'll find...a way.**

 **I know now what I must do.**

 **But... She wouldn't understand.**

 **Faint sniffle!**

 **God forgive me.**

Presently...

Teary eyed still... Inara suddenly looks kind of embarrassed.

Inara has suddenly realized:

 _Gos se!_

 _I didn't come prepared with more incense...in case I would end up by myself in my own house._

She kind of hurries out the door.

Early that night...

Inara has been shopping for incense and some other things in Lu'Weng: The great city of Sihnon.

The great city Lu'Weng?

A giant dome of sparkling white very gradually slanted stone is its ground level. It can cover a stretched out block of six typical desert lands.

Two point five billion middle folk alone live here.

The Companion Academy is here: A campus of twelve Companion training houses, and one administrative house for the Guild Council of Elders and all the record keeping.

The Guild Council of Elders are retired or elderly Companions making up The Guild's judiciary branch.

They rule on Guild law and legal cases for Companions. But, going out as Companions to "legally settle" with clients is not uncommon: Especially with formal requests in court from rich corporate folk.

And, in the great city... Mostly transparent red Chinese lanterns, sharp orange billboards with waving cartoon blue and red cats meowing in Chinese and Japanese, red lined yellow billboards with multicolored Jinn melting down icy Earth like globes with fire and lightning from their hands, and glass painted windows of Chinese, American, Middle Eastern, and Japanese thinkers and war generals lit in bright light from museums to homes casts waves of light at night.

In a random bar...

The wooden tables and light blue cushioned chairs are full of folk unwrapping fortune cookies, eating bing, drinking, half hearted drunk invitations to the few Companions around just lightly laughing it off, and talking in a small talk like way of struggles in inclusion with The Guild and the Central Planets since the Unification War and Verbena.

Roman styled pillars with red lit security scanner lights constantly sweep the entrance, walls, and backway.

Soda machine styled lockers to store guns lined with red neon lights are off to the side. Purple neon lights are wrapped around the stone ceiling.

Long red and yellow Chinese dragons are painted over the white stone walls. A wide binocular styled screen is over the wooden bar counter: With slow pouring rain to set the mood between advertisements and archival clips.

Sitting at one of the tables though is Inara. And, she certainly hasn't come for small talk.

She has a nice looking light yellow woven bag on the table close to her side of the table. Hints of a bunched up plain white dress are visible from above.

Sitting on the other side of the table is a friend of hers named Karam.

She has medium light brown hair. She wears a long rustic gray skirt and matching fancy shoes, a leather black belt, red leather bracelets on her wrists, a yellow bra showing from under a yellow shirt, and a open faint orange leather jacket. She also has a dark green dust storm tattoo detailed by her bra.

Karam faintly smiles. She comments, "I don't usually ask you first. But, what's in the bag?"

A little teary eyed... Inara very faintly smirks.

After a bit... Inara answers, "it's nothing I can't tell you. I'm...at least coming back to do what I should have done long ago. Faint sniffle. The bag has trinkets and a dress for..."

In Inara's mind... She can see the Serra house's door opening in a fog.

And, through the darkness beyond... A pair of eyes viciously glares back at her: With a faintly familiar looking dress she saw again not so long ago.

Cries of no fill the darkness. Dark red liquid begins to seep over the doorframe.

Inara closes her eyes, trying to hold back tears.

She shakes the mental images away though when Karam says something.

Karam is quick to finish the thought, "...a funeral service for Isara?"

Sounding surprised... Inara asks, "how could you...?"

Karam lightly remarks, "the sign has been up for years, Inara. It doesn't take paying a outlaw to figure it out."

Inara very faintly nervously chuckles. She adds, "ohh. That's true. I forgot."

Karam concludes, "that's okay. But...are you going to be okay Inara?"

Kind of assuringly... Inara says, "I will be. Thank you."

Karam puts a sympathetic hand on hers.

Karam concludes, "okay, okay. I won't ask about it anymore. I'm respectful."

She pulls her hand away just as quickly.

Sounding a little better... Inara reasons, "that's why we get along well. If our roles were different, you could have become a pretty Companion."

Karam casually figures, "naw. Nothing against it really. But, I'm not much for playing second fiddle. I like playing the sitar more."

Inara faintly chuckles.

After a bit... She admits a little sarcastically, "if I'm being honest Karam...I'm still kind of wondering what to do with both of my fiddles."

Karam realizes, "you're not sure if you want to stay on Serenity or here."

Inara answers, "you're right. But, it's not as though I'm giving up either setting. It's just..."

Karam concludes solemnly, "you're not sure where your heart really lies."

Kind of nervously... Inara figures, "yeah. I guess it was too easy for me to get pulled into the control and the spirit that are integral parts to being a Companion...too easy to not think of going back home. Sniffle. I realize it now. I come back home... Hard sniffle! ...and I'm alone now more than I ever was."

Inara closes her eyes, trying to hold back tears.

But, then... With a sudden jolt of her arm... She almost knocks the bag over and everything in it.

She's bent face down over the table, crying.

She's got her hands covering her head in front: Like she wants to just become a discarded rock and vanish into a mountainside.

Some people stare her way. But, they just as quickly look away.

As more tears fall from Inara's face... Karam gets teary eyed too.

She lightly reaches out her hand to one of Inara's, trying not to come down too hard on the awkward way Inara's hands are facing.

Karam moderately sighs.

Nervously... Karam says, "Inara...please listen to me: You're not alone. You have many friends and clients, and I'm thankful to be one of them."

At the last part... Inara sniffles hard.

She slowly looks up.

Silent tears keep falling. But, she's not sobbing much now.

Inara sighs deeply in relief.

Karam faintly smiles knowingly.

Sounding more firm... Inara concludes, "thank you Karam. But, for my karma...I have to mourn alone. Faint sniffle. It's a price I should pay for being away from home this long."

She gets the bag, holding it with both hands.

Inara starts to walk away.

But, as she does... Karam says something.

Karam concludes nervously, "well...okay. But, if you need help Inara..."

Turning back to her... Inara faintly assures her, "...I'll contact you. I do appreciate the offer. But, I should go."

Karam adds kind of assuringly, "you're welcome."

Inara waves to her. Karam waves back.

Inara then walks away...on her way back to the Serra house.

Not long after...

By the bed, new red sticks of incense are in place for the funeral.

The plain white dress is laid out on the side of the dusted off bed, all nice and straightened out.

Yellow and white flowers are decorated over the coffin. Some dark grey stone Buddha statues are around it.

Inara is getting out the matches she recently got from Lu'Weng.

Then... There's a knock on the door.

Inara asks uncertainly, "hello?"

From the other side of the door... A faintly familiar voice answers, "Alliance."

Sounding very annoyed... Inara goes, "all right. What occasion do I owe...the pleasure?"

Commander Harken walks in.

He closes the door behind him. But, he doesn't seem armed.

Fairly stunned... Inara says, "Commander Harken?"

Commander Harken very faintly smiles. He comments, "last time I questioned you, I was Commander Harken. I'm something of a Operative now. But, my official rank now is classified."

Inara firmly nods. She just says, "I see. You're operating on Sihnon."

Commander Harken insists, "Commander Harken will suffice well enough. It's nice to see you Inara. You and Malcolm Reynolds have made yourselves quite a reputation since Verbena."

Inara politely says, "thank you."

She moderately sighs.

Unsure... Commander Harken is about to ask, "have I...?"

Bordering on nervous... Inara admits, "not really. Just... I'm sorry if I seem disingenuous right now. But, can this wait? I was preparing to carry out a long past due private funeral for my sister."

She gets teary eyed on the last part.

Commander Harken looks awkwardly nervous now.

He concludes, "I am sorry. I am intruding on a family matter. But...it is about your medical condition."

Caught off guard... Inara inquires, "what?"

Commander Harken concludes, "if things go as well as projected, the Alliance is set to find a cure for epidplasa. I believe that is your medical condition, as was your sister's. Isn't that true?"

Almost business like... Inara confirms, "yes, of course."

Inara then very faintly grins.

Casually... She reflects, "I can see you haven't really changed, Commander Harken. You always like to question, even when it's none of your business."

Commander Harken very faintly laughs. He concludes, "I like being thorough for the brass. Usually, that saves lives and necessary time. But, you're right: I always was a curious man."

Inara figures, "I know. It wasn't hard for me to tell."

She then catches sight of the incense by the bed.

There's a very uneasy silence.

After a bit... Inara reasons, "the funeral can wait then. Why don't you show me this amazing cure you're "not officially" helping to guard? That is a key part of why you came, isn't it?"

Sounding impressed... Commander Harken questions, "why else do you think I came to find you? I'm here to escort you to a classified medical facility, where we can continue this conversation in a more classified capacity."

Inara very faintly smiles: Letting the teariness in her eyes dry up.

Not long after, in a classified location...

There's a dark blue tiled hall. At the ends, there are bluish gray rimmed glass doors: With mostly light red hatch styled shapes across the glass split in two.

Very dark red lights come from the metal grated floor. A grid of spinning green Alliance scanner lights with security cameras overlooks the hall, amidst a curtain of pitch black.

With a slip of a Ident card... One of the sets of glass doors automatically opens for Commander Harken.

With a dark blue flowery blindfold over her eyes... Inara is led in.

Commander Harken is beside her, guiding her with one hand.

The set of automatic doors closes behind them.

Somewhat nervously... Inara wonders, "is it safe to open my eyes now? I'd rather not get too used to walking like this."

Sounding kind of nervous himself... Commander Harken concludes, "no unfair chance of it. But, I think I should take off the blindfold."

Inara adds, "yes. That would help, thank you."

Commander Harken puts his hands behind her head. He undoes the blindfold, taking it in hand.

Along the hall... Large windows of bright blue tinted fiberglass filled with circuitry and scanner equipment look into six rubber rooms. Almost mechanical laughter and claps strangely echo from them.

Inara opens her eyes...much to her sudden great disgust and nervousness.

She gets teary eyed for a whole other reason.

Five figures are on the other side of most of the rubber rooms: One for each one.

Strands of saliva and hair are all around them on the blue rubber plastered floor and walls.

They wear shreds of Alliance mostly white hospital gowns.

They have kind of cut up faces, kind of cut up arms, and unruly kind of long hair.

Some are lying half asleep on the floor. In their sleep, they act like they're eating greedily and tearing at the air.

Some are sitting up, sloshing water wildly in their mouths. The stark grey cups they're drinking from are dripping wet with dark red liquid stained water drops.

The almost mechanical laughs and claps begin to fade.

Commander Harken reveals, "I know how I got hesitant myself with letting anyone reaverized be left living. But, I was overruled by Parliament. And... Moderate sigh. Well, I guess certain people deserve a second chance at making a life for themselves."

Inara doesn't turn back to him.

She just stands there...kind of open mouthed and very much in shock.

* * *

 _Act II_

There's a nerve wracking silence.

After a bit... And, somewhat shakily... Inara realizes, "they're each from a Reaver ship: Forced to watch...like that survivor on that transport ship."

She deeply sighs: Trying to hold back tears with closed eyes.

Commander Harken reasons, "yes. They still make me nervous. But..."

Opening her eyes again... Inara turns back to him.

In mixed feelings... Inara concludes, "I support giving people another chance of getting along well with others. But...they're still acting like dòngwù húndàn. How do you know they won't kill you or anyone else?"

Commander Harken moderately sighs. He admits, "I'm not. But, I can assure you we're taking every precautionary measure on hand we can. That's why we're temporarily bringing you in for security on the project while our usual security Operative is away on assignment."

Inara very faintly chuckles. She concludes, "Commander Harken, I appreciate the thought. But...could we talk about this in your office? Please?"

Commander Harken straightens up.

He reasons stoically, "yeah. I get it. I'll be sure to escort you there safely."

Inara adds, "thank you Commander Harken."

Commander Harken courteously takes Inara's hand. Inara courteously faintly smiles back.

He then leads Inara through the opposite set of automatic glass doors. Only this time, it's with no blindfold.

A short while later, in Commander Harken's office...

The desk, the walls, the pen holder... They're all stark gray in the dim lighting. Even the hatch like door is.

The only two things that aren't are the Roman styled pillars with very dark green lit security scanner lights left and right of the door.

Inara has fully realized, "so they're not just patients: They're monkeys in a Alliance lab."

She's glaring coldly at him all a sudden. But, past her glare, there's ripples of one mixed feeling after another.

She deeply sighs.

Before Commander Harken can add something though... Inara points out with a raised eyebrow, "since its early formation...I thought The Alliance stayed away from animal testing barbarism."

Commander Harken gulps uneasily. But, he mostly hides the unease over his face.

He explains, "we wish it was that simple. But, some diseases... Moderate sigh. I don't know the full details. The brass knows those details better than myself. But, to give you the full picture... There are rare cases where there isn't enough medical information to develop a cure through computer testing. At least, not without checking human DNA for related physical abnormalities over several years. And, The Alliance doesn't see that as good enough for tens of thousands of citizens with epidplasa closer to death every day...or for reversing the psychological trauma that is brought from being reaverized. I stand with the project as its director in the hope of saving all those lives."

Inara's glare fades. And, her eyes widen.

She is almost speechless, murmuring something very hard to hear in Chinese.

Sounding concerned... Commander Harken checks, "are you all right?"

Teary eyed... Inara very faintly smiles in spite of that.

She insists half assuringly, "no. I'll be fine. Really. Thank you."

Content enough to drop the matter... Commander Harken just firmly nods.

Not long after...

Inara is sitting in another hall nearly identical to the one before. Only, it's built directly above the rubber rooms.

Small sets of spiral metal stairs lead to secret doors on the other side of the rubber. Specially designed two way mirror fiberglass looks into the borderline reaverized figures in the rubber rooms below.

The sounds of the Alliance dedicated source box screens playing selective archival programming from centuries ago, the purposely sour taste of the water in the figures's mouths, the smell of the adrenaline shots daily... They're all to try to both stimulate and calm down their primal side altogether in a equilibrium of eerie.

They're mostly all hidden away from Inara's angle: Even though Commander Harken told her all of it recently.

Inara breathes a faint sigh of relief over the realization. But, the sight still makes her really nervous and uneasy.

She first thinks back to many months ago.

She thinks back to trying to be hopeful for that survivor on that transport ship from many months ago...and to sobbing alone over his fate in her room later the following night.

Inara gets teary eyed.

As she does though... She thinks back to a memory: A memory of a physical exam of hers.

At least several years ago, when she was in her mid-twenties...

Inara was in a reclining medical chair. Interestingly, it was gold leafed and lined in very light red.

In the very dim light... Sticks of red incense were in cups on wooden stands off by the corners of the walls.

On Ariel... There's three special medical centers for Companions.

Doctor grade Companions and Companion elders run them. No one outside of the Guild is allowed to operate or work in a Guild medical center.

As for the physical exam?

Tiredly... Inara commented, "so there's still no cure?"

The sticks of incense were lit.

And, in the light cast over Inara... Her severely blistered skin was showing.

Dark red cuts felt burned all over. Her white medical gown was covered in dark red liquid dots.

No makeup. Nothing to hide the epidplasa.

After disposing of the match... A Doctor grade Companion with medium dark red hair soon came back.

She was teary eyed, knowing all too well what she was here to do.

The Doctor grade Companion was tending to Inara, blotting the blisters on her arms and legs with tissues.

Inara winced as she did.

Silent tears fell from Inara's face. But, she was trying to put up a brave front in front of the doctor.

The Doctor grade Companion heavily sighed. She was recalling, "we've had this discussion before, Inara. We can hold off epidplasa with yearly injections in your hormonal glands. But, it's one of the few diseases in the Alliance we've yet to discover a cure for."

Kind of sarcastic... Inara muttered, "yes. Brahma forbid any "respectful" Companion has wrinkles."

There was a awkward silence.

After a bit... Inara concluded begrudgingly, "all right. Cosmetic it is."

In spite of her still teary eyes... The Doctor grade Companion very faintly smiles.

She gets out a mostly purple curtain fashioned hypo-gun.

And, with the hypo-gun... She injects into her neck a hormonal drug called Crostrogen.

As it slowly began to course through her body... Inara coughed violently some.

Her head was overcome by a rush of hormones.

She trembled all over. But, the Doctor grade Companion kept some bags of ice on hand.

After a bit... Inara passed out.

But, when she woke up, the blisters on the surface would be gone...like many times before.

Presently, the next day...

Inara and Commander Harken are in a very dark gray staff lounge.

They are sitting opposite each other: In mostly gray metal chairs at a mostly gray metal table.

Some Alliance MPs are eating Chinese noodles in white ceramic bowls at another table, keeping to themselves.

Inara's Chinese noodle dish was almost half empty. Commander Harken's dish was finished rather quickly.

Two wind fans are above, blowing on the circulation setting. Very light blue rims go along the walls in rungs.

Light sounding... Inara wonders, "just out of curiosity... Do you have a wife or a husband?"

Commander Harken very faintly smiles. He answers, "no. I like the office more. Rarely have I met someone who doesn't think I question them too much. You're a incredible woman, Inara."

Caught off guard... Inara comments, "why commander, I think you're flirting."

Commander Harken inquires, "is that a bad thing?"

Inara eats some more of her Zhajiangmian and eggs.

Then, she looks up.

A little nervously... Inara says, "I'm flattered. But, if you're looking to be lovers...I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

Commander Harken casually brings up, "because you're in love with Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Faint laugh. Well, there are worse pirates. I discovered that the hard way."

Inara concludes solemnly, "you're right. If it helps...all of us have had things in life that were hard to face and overcome."

Commander Harken is kind of quick to inquire, "like with you and your father?"

Inara finds it hard to look up.

Inara faintly rolls her eyes. She sarcastically says, "oh, you just have had to remind me."

Commander Harken apologizes, "sorry."

Half convincingly... Inara insists, "it's all right. It happened long ago."

Commander Harken is about to ask something.

But, before he can... Inara faintly chuckles.

Quick to change the subject... Inara remarks, "this is why I don't date a Alliance Operative. There's not really any mystery then."

Lightly... Commander Harken reasons, "oh, I'm sure there are. You just have to look into it hard enough."

Inara faintly smiles. She concludes, "I suppose."

She turned back to her food.

The rest of lunch was very quiet.

Not long after...

Inara was sitting up in the upper hall over the cells, guarding the borderline reaverized figures below.

She was told it would just be for one more day. But, even now...she was close to being as restless as them.

Most of the figures were slashing and banging at the rubber. Some were slashing and growling at the Alliance dedicated source box screens playing.

Inara got teary eyed.

For, the sight of them slashing and banging at the rubber is painfully reminding her of Isara...and of her parents.

Many years ago, several days after Inara's uncle's death...

Tmere were some dark blue exercise mats and some red balls on the bedroom floor. It was the same bedroom where Inara and Isara slept in opposite beds.

Ibarra was out for most of the day at work like she often was.

On the Cortex house security footage for the bedroom... Inara and Isara were doing pushups.

They looked kind of tired and sweaty.

They kept having to pause from working out to go under a dermal mender for their skin conditions.

They had gray overused toddler clothes on: Which no one seemed to care if they got stained in dark red liquid.

But, aside from some quickly drying up dark red liquid and slight bruises around their skin? They seemed ok.

With his gathered up but somewhat sharp tone... Mitchell tells them, "I know it hurts girls. But, I don't know now how else to protect you."

But, past the security footage playing... It becomes all too clear it was pre-programmed from inside.

Inara and Isara were lying on the exercise mats. Dark red liquid is around them and the mats.

They were tied up and gagged with black ropes. They were heavily bruised and blistered.

They were sobbing uncontrollably.

Sounding creepily somber... Mitchell concludes, "I know it hurts girls. But, I don't know now how else to protect you from dying. Your mother... Faint sniffle! She wouldn't understand. No one but me can."

He faintly sniffled. He closed his eyes, trying to hold back tears from it all.

He punched Isara in the side. Then, he punched Inara in the side.

They screamed and struggled to cough under their rope gags. But, all they could really do loudly was breathe through their noses: One of the very few places where it didn't hurt.

Still with his eyes closed... Mitchell mumbled, "god forgive me. I know it...hurts."

The dermal mender and a bunch of soaking wet washcloths were by the two beds.

Not taking the sound of them sobbing anymore... Mitchell opened his teary eyes.

He called out, "okay, okay! I'll get you healed and cleaned up. But, you can't toughen your bodies without lying down first."

But, Inara and Isara just sobbed and sobbed.

Mitchell closed his eyes again as he just sat there for fifteen minutes.

Several weeks after...

Isara was sitting on her bed, looking out to the window.

It was night. There was many a burning shooting star in the night sky.

Inara asked in concern, "Isara, what's wrong?"

Isara coldly turned to her.

She hurled her fancy flowery blue pillow at Inara. But, she just as quickly ducked out of the way.

Inara looked nervous.

Getting teary eyed... Isara muttered, "what's wrong? You know well what's wrong: Him!"

Getting teary eyed too... Inara sighed deeply.

She sat with Isara on the bed.

Isara was involuntarily shaking violently some.

She was trying to hold back tears. But...they just painfully fell over the bed anyway.

She was sobbing.

Then... Inara tried to be assuring, "I know he's been tough on us. But, if it's the only way to live..."

She was trying to put a sympathetic hand on Isara's.

But... Isara moved her hand away.

Isara stopped sobbing. But, she was still involuntarily shaking violently some.

Her very cold glare returned.

And... Isara was muttering under her breath, "well damn him. I'd rather die than live like this, Inara! Faint sniffle! I keep shaking. I close my eyes, and I see he's hurt us. Look at me! You don't think you won't start shaking?"

There was a very awkward silence.

Trying to sound braver... Inara firmly insisted, "I don't believe you. Even mother says you're overreacting."

She was coldly glaring as she said it.

Isara concluded, "that might change."

Condescendingly... Inara concluded, "really? Mother doesn't lie, Isara. What does that tell you?"

Undeterred... Isara concluded, "it's because she doesn't know. Unless we send a direct wave to The Alliance, she won't really see it. She thinks it's just workouts: She said it herself!"

Inara firmly concluded, "I don't believe it's him. We don't really know what symptoms..."

Isara practically shouted, "and I don't believe you!"

She was storming out, heading for the door.

Sounding stunned... Inara tried to be assuring again, "please Isara. I'm just trying to...!"

Isara shot back, "I don't care what you say! Don't talk to me, Inara: I never want to see your damn face again!"

And, with that... She slammed the bedroom door shut behind her.

Inara just sat there on the bed, too unsure to try to follow her.

She was bent over...sobbing over the other pillow by her: The one that wasn't on the floor.

A few nights after...

Everyone else was asleep. The lights around were very dim dark yellow.

Isara was involuntarily violently shaking some. She was taking heavy breaths, struggling to stay upright.

She could hear echoes of some other kids laughing at her. She thought she heard Inara laughing with them.

With some heavy breaths... The nervousness in her eyes suddenly turned dark.

Isara closed her eyes, taking another heavy breath.

And, in a cry of sorrow... She charged head first against the fiberglass.

She coughed...violently and dizzily.

She fell to the floor with a loud thud.

She was vomiting.

She was impulsively seizing up, curling up on her blister ridden sides.

Inara was the first to wake up, rushing to her side.

But, in seconds...Isara was dead.

In the dim lights... Ibarra cried out, "Isara?! Oh god. Oh god no."

Mitchell cried, "oh my god. It can't be!"

They were all bent over Isara's dead body. Many a tear fell.

And, even as whirling ambulance sirens drew near... They were still bent over her body.

A week after...

Ibarra came through the front door. She was home early.

The lights were mostly purplish black.

The fiberglass still had some big cracks in the back of the living room: Where Isara had died.

Ibarra walked in.

And, to her horror... She saw Inara heavily bruised, tied up, and gagged on a exercise mat.

She seemed disturbingly kind of calm, even though she was teary eyed.

Mitchell stood up from the floor.

Ibarra was heatedly glaring at him, teary eyed.

Tears were falling from her face. But, right then, she didn't care.

Ibarra demanded, "what the gorram hell are you doing to our little girl?!"

Mitchell said half convincingly, "this isn't what it..."

Ibarra shouted, "liar!"

She violently punched him down in his side.

Mitchell stumbled into the living room.

He was groaning violently some. He was struggling to get up.

But...Ibarra pulled him up.

She slammed him violently against the already cracked section of fiberglass...shattering it.

Mitchell was coughing violently against the fiberglass shards. He was losing consciousness fast.

Ibarra was too shocked for words.

But, with a heavy breath... She pulled off Mitchell.

Ibarra gently put his body on the floor, despite the heat filled tears still in her eyes.

Dark red liquid was around Mitchell's body.

Dark red liquid was dripping from the dark red liquid covered shards of fiberglass in the wall.

Then... Three Alliance police officers came charging in through the open door.

They had their sonic riffles drawn out and ready.

One of them called out warningly, "stand down, Mrs. Serra! Now!"

Ibarra very reluctantly put her hands up.

The Alliance police were soon untying and ungagging Inara.

They left with Ibarra in handcuffs and Mitchell's unconscious body on a dark red soaked ambulance stretcher.

Inara was sitting in the Alliance police hovercar in the back.

And, with everything that just happened... All she could do was painfully sob and sob that day.

Presently...

Inara thinks to herself:

 _Usually, someone training to be a Companion came from a family with good standing._

 _But, with how young I was at the time... And, with how my mother "redeemed" my family's good standing by leading The Alliance to arrest my bastard father and getting herself off free... The Guild didn't reject my candidacy._

 _I didn't know he was then. I was too young to really know the truth._

 _But...I had found out for myself just before leaving for the Companion Academy._

 _We fought each other so much, mother._

 _Faint sniffle!_

 _I should have known you were telling me the truth from the beginning. But...I just couldn't get myself to see it._

 _I wish I had mother...because you're long gone, and there isn't anything I can do now to come back to you._

 _So, if this guard duty is for my karma and for the good of thousands of people... Then the hell with my own well being: I'm staying!_

 _If she were still alive... I know Isara would understand._

 _Faint sniffle!_

 _She'd rub the truth in my face and then try to comfort me two days after...if she were stil..._

Silent tears fall from Inara's face.

She is shakily sitting there like crazy.

But, even as more tears fall... She remains firm and on guard.

As day gives way to night...

In the staff lounge... One of the wind fans is blown off its axle.

It comes crashing down in flames...taking down a table with it.

Wind blades scatter in pieces.

Fire sprinklers automatically come on, leaving the lounge in a heavy mist of steam.

On guard duty... One of the Alliance MPs calls out, "what was that?!"

Another Alliance MP moderately sighs. He figures, "fan probably just blew out. But, let's check it."

The Alliance MPs cautiously walk into the lounge: Their military rifles drawn out and ready.

But, as soon as the mist fades... They notice a set of tong shaped metal wire cutters on the floor.

The front end is burnt black and still steaming hot.

With frustration in his voice... The first Alliance MP mutters, "gorramit! Go to full lockdown!"

Up in the upper hall... Inara suddenly hears footsteps.

She draws out a dark blue hilted dark silver fencing sword from under her dress.

She gets up, pulling herself up.

A figure in gray repairman like overalls appears behind her.

He has kind of unruly black medium hair. He's clutching his sore side from falling several feet.

He groans as he cautiously walks. But, he's kind of quick to draw out a grayish blue pistol.

But, when Inara turns around to face him... She gasps.

In shock... Inara realizes, "Arroyo?!"

* * *

 _Act III_

The figure looks just as shocked as Inara does.

Arroyo realizes, "Inara. Heavy sigh. My god, are you a sight for sore eyes in a place like this."

Inara and Arroyo lower their weapons.

Inara very faintly smiles. She tells him, "thank you. I was hoping we could meet again under better circumstances. But, this is not a good place to be."

Arroyo explains, "I know: I'm here to get Jun's body...out."

Picking up on his trailing off thought... Inara asks nervously, "what is it?"

Arroyo catches sight of one of the borderline reaverized figures below...still slashing and banging at the rubber.

As she looks where he's looking... It all suddenly hits Inara:

 _Arroyo has come in passing off as a repairman to rescue a friend's body. Probably this guy named Jun._

 _Deep sigh. Faint sniffle._

 _The Alliance must have kept what happened to Jun a secret. Arroyo was looking to give him a proper burial._

 _Then he comes all this way...to see he's one of the people thought to have just disappeared on those ships._

 _Faint sniffle!_

 _What story can I tell that won't make me look guilty in front of him?_

Inara hears some rushed footsteps. But, some are further down.

While she's been caught up in her own thoughts... Inara just realizes Arroyo is already halfway downstairs.

Sounding very shook... And, teary eyed... Inara murmurs, "oh gos se."

Inara fast walks down the stairs to one of the rubber rooms.

She's halfway down the stairs...when she sees Arroyo ready to open the door.

Inara calls out, "Arroyo!" Arroyo calls back, "what?!"

Inara struggles to say, "Arroyo...I..."

Inara faintly sniffles. She tells him, "you must have been good friends, and I understand why you want to help him. But...please. Faint sniffle! They're trying to keep him from becoming a Reaver. That's why they didn't want to tell anyone else. If you open that door, he will kill you!"

Arroyo shakes his head. He is quick to comment, "seems healthy enough...spite of how The Alliance had been cutting on him and mistreating him. I'd be banging walls if I were in there 'stead of him."

He starts to open the door.

Inara runs after him.

Arroyo glares coldly her way...just before kind of closing the door behind him.

Through the door, he's drawing out his pistol.

But, before he can shoot... Arroyo screams.

Brief hints of a all too certain figure's arm are seen through the door crack.

Brief hints of dark red liquid splatter and lost teeth pass over the crack.

And, to Inara's horror... The borderline reaverized figure is breaking through the door.

The Alliance MPs find the same set of stairs.

They come down with their rifles ready. But...it's too late.

Inara ducks fast...as the whole door is torn off the hinges.

With all the residing adrenaline running through the figure's veins...it wasn't very hard.

In her rush to duck... Inara groans in some sharp shooting pain.

She's landed on her foot wrong. But, she's struggling to get up anyway.

With the crashing down door... Two Alliance MPs are knocked violently against the stairs.

They groan violently. Their sides are heavily bruised, even under all their armor.

They struggle to get up and raise their rifles. But...they can't.

All they can do is scream...as the borderline reaverized figure tears through their armor.

A Alliance MP reaches for Inara's hand.

He's helping her up to her feet...when the reaverized figure backhands him.

The Alliance MP crashes violently into the wall...groaning violently against it.

In no condition to fight right now... Inara kind of stumbles past.

She's fast walking into the room with help from her sword: Like a crude walking stick.

She fights the urge to scream from sharp shooting pain, barely able to stand mostly on one foot.

More screams. More sounds of tearing flesh.

Inara closes her eyes, struggling to not think about it.

As she's catching her breath... She keeps trying to apply pressure to her foot with her free hand.

But, by the time she gets enough feeling in her foot to fully stand on her feet... The lights are out.

Inara hears fiberglass shattering, loud choos...and more screams.

In the dark... Dark red liquid is all around the fiberglass up ahead...along with hints of jumbled arms and feet.

Knowing all too well what to expect now... Inara takes a shaky deep breath.

Silent tears fall from her face. But, she doesn't care right now.

Inara interestingly puts away her sword.

And, now... Inara is getting out a special syringe of hers: Already filled with certain black liquid.

Around then, on Serenity...

Over the comm... Wash reports, "um, captain...you better get up here."

Soon as Mal has made it to the cockpit... He looks fairly nervous.

Mal starts to ask, "okay. What is it this far by civilization that...?"

Mostly serious toned... Wash remarks, "well, we better get closer Mal. It's about Inara...and a certain officer that will be remembered best as the commander that owed you his civilized buttocks."

On screen by the control panels... Wash plays the distress call: Audio only.

Commander Harken's voice comes in:

Sergeant... Violent cough! ...it's about Inara.

We need help! We...

Ahhhh! ! !

Without a second thought... Mal concludes, "get us back to Sihnon, Wash."

With a very faint smile... Wash concludes, "sounds reasonable enough."

Mal adds grimly, "let's hope so."

Back in the classified Alliance medical facility...

With the syringe in hand... And, ignoring mostly dulled out sharp shooting pain... Inara runs for it.

Hints of dark red liquid splatter are everywhere by the stairs.

She runs back into the upper hall...where reaverized figures are running up and down stairs like mad.

Two are on top of each other off to the side. Most of them are roaring and growling...looking hungry with hints of dark red liquid dripping from their hands and mouths.

Inara keeps running, passing the two off to the side.

She runs down a bigger set of stairs.

But, midway down the stairs...she trips over her pained foot.

Inara groans violently, clutching her side on the stairs.

As she starts to fall unconscious... She injects herself with the syringe.

She can just hear the Reavers charging for her.

They're reaching for her to try to touch her...only for them to all suddenly fall in the dark.

One day and a night later...

Inara wakes up in a medical bed...back on Serenity.

Medical tubes are in her arm and chest. The chest ones though are mostly covered up by the bed sheet.

Small spots of a sickly green tint are nearly all faded away. But, a barely visible abnormal brittleness lingers.

Inara asks nervously, "how is everyone?"

Simon is standing by her, nervously checking her mostly stable vital signs.

Simon answers, "we're okay. You were incoherent and vomiting on the floor. You almost lost all feeling in your right leg. You're going to be ok. But, you gave us quite a scare."

Inara blushes. She apologizes, "sorry. The Alliance brought me in for something very unexpected, and I..."

Teary eyed... Simon is quick to explain, "we know. Mr. Universe helped us with filling in some of the pieces. Moderate sigh. I'm sorry those people couldn't be cured."

Teary eyed herself... Inara admits somberly, "so am I."

Simon is still looking at her nervously. Inara can't help but notice.

Inara asks, "what is it?"

Simon moderately sighs. He brings up, "you haven't told anyone else on the ship about your epidplasa. I'm a doctor and your friend, and you didn't even think to tell me?!"

Inara faintly sniffles.

After a bit... She admits, "Simon...I don't want to die at all. I didn't want to think about it. That's why it was very easy not to tell. It's not anyone's fault. Sniffle! I don't know how long I have. I don't think you can help."

And... Inara starts to cry.

With a sudden very faint smile... Simon tries to be assuring, "maybe you think no one can help. But, growing up, that's what I used to have thought about getting River out of the Academy. I...I'm your doctor on this ship. I got to at least try to cure your biochemical imbalance, Inara."

Inara very faintly smiles at that: Letting the teariness in her eyes start to dry up some.

Inara concludes with a question, "that is very selfless of you Simon. Still...what about River?"

Simon insists, "that's very considerate of you to ask. But, as far as I can tell, you have at least one more year. There's time. Please: Just let me try to help you."

Inara firmly says, "all right."

Just as quickly though... Inara gets nervous over something else.

Noticing this... Simon asks, "what's wrong?"

Inara asks, "does Mal know?"

Suddenly... Mal cuts in, "only 'cause I found you while you were unconscious and brought you to the good doctor here. You gave the crew a mighty scare."

He's standing by the doorframe to the infirmary, his back to it.

He seems kind of nervous and teary eyed. But, he's trying to put on a brave front.

With some mixed feelings... Inara concludes, "I'm sorry. Still...thank you."

Sounding a little better... Mal just adds, "you're welcome."

Teary eyed still... Inara explains uncomfortably, "the Alliance gives Companions those vials in case of Reavers. They never told us what it did. But, I knew it wouldn't be pretty. I never thought I'd say this. But...I'm glad you rescued me from The Alliance. I'd have to answer for something I never meant to do if you didn't."

Mal very faintly smiles over the last part.

He realizes, "still...had to have been some rough day for you."

Inara deeply sighs. She says, "it's complicated. But, one day...I'll tell you."

Mal puts a sympathetic hand on hers.

And, he just says, "one day."

He's tempted to kiss her hand. But, his nightmares hold him back.

After a bit... Mal pulls away.

They both awkwardly look at each other. But, given the circumstances, neither of them argues about it.

Two days later...

Inara thinks to herself:

 _I never meant to let love cloud my spirit too much. I never meant to let my thoughts cloud my spirit too much._

 _I became a Bodyguard grade Companion to save as many lives as I could...to never make the same mistake I made long ago._

 _Faint sniffle!_

In a brief cutaway... Inara is bent before Isara's coffin, wearing the plain white dress she picked out.

The small spots of a sickly green tint are gone. The barely visible abnormal brittleness is gone as well.

And, before the lit sticks of incense and the Buddha statues around Isara's coffin... Inara is praying for her.

Inara concludes in her thoughts:

 _But...I'm learning there's a delicate balance. Every one has thoughts tied to them their own and not their own._

 _I dreamed that everyone could just come together one day as a Alliance. I never liked "really" fighting._

 _But...I should let in and keep people out when I really feel I should. Maybe I shouldn't as often just assume._

 _Aside from being with my clients... That's where my spirit is most comfortable...on Serenity._

 _The only place where I can really let people in that it's truly seemless._

 _Maybe it doesn't always feel that way._

 _Maybe I don't like Jayne or Saffron much. But, that's part of my karma._

 _Faint nervous chuckle._

 _Now if only that day could come soon: The day Mal could be comfortable enough with telling me his story._


	10. S1, Ep 21: Devil's Work Knows No Rest

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Devil's Work Knows No Rest:

 _Teaser_

Serenity gently moves through the black of space.

Around and through Serenity's hull though... It's darker somehow in Book's bunk.

The lights are on. But, the dimness around the lights seems darker than the other bunks.

Book is bent before his bed, praying with his hands cupped together over the ruffled bedsheet.

Some Alliance officer gray boots are under the bed. They're burnt and worn out under the looming shadow.

Book faintly sniffles. But, his eyes are closed.

Book says, "almighty and eternal lord, please hear my prayer. I believe. But..."

In his mind...

He sees himself struggling to crawl out of flames.

Screaming. Punches echo. The gray escape pod burns around him.

He crawls out.

The desert soil burns in the heat.

It burns through his Alliance military uniform and matching boots.

His eye burns more. Yet, there's no smoke or flames there.

He walks on, almost like it's nothing.

But, he's shaken up: Pausing every two minutes.

Faint sniffling. Muttering of purple-bellies.

He's tempted to just fall down and lie there forever in the soil. But, he keeps walking.

The flames keep following his footsteps in the desert soil. The screaming and punches echo on.

Out of the mental images...

He faintly sniffles.

In his prayers... Book laments, "the captain, Jayne, Inara... Faint sniffle. Our brushes with lawmen are worsening. We keep moving. Very faint laugh. I've taken to that philosophy myself. But...will we have enough strength to protect ourselves and keep moving? Can I stay on this ship for long...knowing operatives could try to arrest me? The lawmen know I'm with them. Faint sniffle. Malcolm Reynolds and the crew...they're legends. In a manner of speech... Faint sniffle. ...I too am a legend. But, what ever happens... Faint sniffle. They're good people. Watch over them, God. Keep them safe long after I'm dead."

Meanwhile...

Most everyone is sleeping.

But, in River and Simon's bunk... River gets up with a startle and a faint shiver.

She sighs somberly to herself, crouched on the bed. She gets teary eyed.

She can see the mental images from Book's mind, burning through.

She can see mental images of herself strapped to a goldish operating chair...and Book strapped to another.

Injections. Screaming. Desert soil under their feet.

River lies face down over the bed, shivering and sobbing like crazy.

After several long minutes... She sighs with great relief as the mental images mostly fade.

She gets up to get some water from the refrigerator in the kitchen.

Then, after she drinks some water... River very faintly smirks.

For, she's noticed Simon standing in front of her.

In concern... Simon asks, "you couldn't sleep?"

River very faintly laughs. But, she's still teary eyed.

She's still holding the glass.

Simon looks at her, somewhat nervous.

With mixed feelings... River insists, "it's not sleep. Sniffle! It's us. Him. See much care in the sand particles."

As she says it... She holds up the water glass sideways, peering through it like a magnifying glass.

The water starts dripping on the floor.

Simon gets a white cloth to cap the water glass.

He whispers, "shh, shh. We're going to be okay, River. We'll still wake up. Right now, we should sleep."

River kind of reluctantly nods.

She hands Simon the cup.

Simon dries off the water drops on the floor before putting the white cloth by the sink.

Then, they both go back to their bunk.

River holds his hand the whole way.

But, just as River is finally falling asleep under the cover... River points to the ceiling.

And, she whispers warningly, "Preacher! Can't stop moving. Please be...okay."

Simon looks very nervous in his bed.

Not wanting to think on it much now... He thinks to his sister sleeping okay now.

With that mental image lingering in Simon's mind... He soon falls asleep.

* * *

 _Act I_

In the late morning...

River is thinking back to a few days ago.

Inara finally told Kaylee about her epidplasa.

She cried when she found out.

But, Inara and Kaylee comforted each other well enough to get through the day.

River found out easily just by reading Simon that same day.

And, well... Soon the whole crew knew of Inara's medical condition.

They were fairly shaken. Even Jayne was for a day for that alone.

Winter wind. Snow falls and melts into spring puddles in the galley.

With River's thoughts on Book though... This feels different.

Screaming. Flaming desert sand making a trail by her feet.

Mostly on just feelings... She finds herself knocking on the cockpit door.

She is in a yellow top: With dark blue diamond petals woven in at the elbows and one across the front.

She weaved it herself.

The flames and desert sand disappear. No scorch marks.

The screaming mostly fades. But, River can still hear it.

Mal is standing in the cockpit by himself.

He's in a light tan blue undershirt under the straps of his trouser overalls.

He's looking out to the black, with his arms crossed and deep in thought.

With a bit of a startle... He stirs away from the sight.

He opens the door to find River there.

He very faintly smiles.

Mal wonders, "hey darling. What's got you lookin' worked up?"

Still teary eyed... And, somewhat nervously... River concludes, "Mal... It's preacher. He can't stop moving."

Kind of cuttingly... Mal remarks, "what of him? Faint laugh. Don't none figure he'd be having shouting words with God. So...I got to tell you: I'm kind of lost here."

River faintly smiles.

Thinking to Mal's figuring... River tells him, "that's another story. But, you won't always..."

Mal has his hand over his eyes, rubbing them some.

Sounding annoyed... Mal says, "River."

River says kind of quietly, "sorry."

Mal concludes, "just...just tell me plainly. Plain as you can anyhow."

River faintly laughs.

Kind of cryptic... She says, "hard. But, I try to dance straight and not out of step."

More casually... Mal just says, "all I'm asking."

He very faintly smiles.

River reflects, "he can't stop moving. It's not sleep. Us...him... See much care in the sand particles. Not really a shepherd. There's no flock. Faint sniffle. Landed him inside a safety model can. Class code 06-ACP72-Cortez."

Mal looks kind of amused and yet not.

After a bit... Mal starts to say, "River..."

Looking quite confused... River murmurs, "I...don't understand. Your feelings jumble. Hard to read."

Mal comments offhandedly, "yeah well, that's always had. But, I'm surprised you would think it."

Kind of bitterly... Mal explains, "he was with Alliance. Still don't know his tale much. The Ident card kind of gave that away. But, I never figured to ask him. I've come to trust him: Much as any on my crew."

River very faintly smiles.

River mostly assures, "I like him. Not saying I don't. Just... Moderate sigh. I worry for him. Can't stop moving longer, he get hurt. But, he can listen to you."

Mal's expression changes over to concern.

With the bitterness in his voice gone... He asks, "what? You think he goin' get shot?"

River concludes, "so many possibilities. Can't tell his past from future."

Mal looks kind of stunned.

In his assuming... Mal asks, "wait. You reading the future now?"

River admits, "subconscious state of the brain could be read. I read some of the brainwaves. But, watercolors. Not clear. Sorry. Can't be more straight of it."

She involuntarily shakes some.

Mal puts a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

Mal insists, "no, it's okay. As okay as can. No one on Serenity blames you for what went on in the Academy."

With a wide smile... River adds, "thank you."

She starts fiddling with his overalls, much to Mal's confusion.

Just as quickly... River pulls her hand away.

River says, "bad we're not close in age. Wish it weren't Inara you..."

Kind of glaringly... Mal mutters, "gorram reader peering. Where did you pick that up?"

River looks embarrassed, finding it hard to look up.

She blushes.

She quickly says, "nothing. Don't mean to take you there."

Before he can say anything... River leaves the cockpit through the door, kind of in a hurry.

Mal shakes his head.

He's faintly laughing nervously over the whole thing.

But, as River reads his mind from the other side of the door... She very faintly smiles to herself in relief.

Meanwhile, in the galley...

Kaylee and Wash are sitting at the corner of the table, playing Tall Card.

Kaylee is in a long sleeved reddish pink sweater like low cut top over a white undershirt. She also has her tan army styled low cut jeans on.

Wash is in his usual tan orange vest over a long sleeved very tan black shirt. He also has his dark tan pants on.

Two piles of Platinum coins and some small open brown cloth bags are by them. Wash has twenty more coins so far.

Wash is looking contemplatively at his round and not so round cards.

The round Tall cards have medallion styled mostly solid colored face down sides of rustic light orangish brown. The rectangular cards have burnt pages styled mostly solid colored face down sides of rustic darker orangish brown.

On the table... There's a very dark purple spade Tall card face up, with some hard to make out white inked Chinese writing.

Book is behind the kitchen counter, pouring himself some water in a glass.

He puts back the water pitcher in the refrigerator.

Kaylee notices him from the corner of her eye.

She puts down her hand of cards face down.

She turns around, cheerfully looking over to Book.

Kaylee says, "hello Shepherd."

Book very faintly smiles.

He acknowledges casually, "Kaylee."

He drinks some of the water from his glass.

Just after he does... Book goes, "ahh."

Kaylee wonders, "how come water always look better when you're drinking it?"

Wash very faintly laughs to himself.

Sounding distant and solemn... Book concludes, "I appreciate it is all."

With surfacing concern... Kaylee wonders, "you all right, preacher? You ain't sounding so good."

With a almost completely cold tone... Book insists, "thank you. But, I'm fine."

Wash puts down his hand of cards face down.

He casts a fairly concerned look Book's way.

But, before Wash can say something... Book holds up the glass of water.

Book very faintly smiles. Yet, he's a little teary eyed.

A bit more casual... Book reflects, "this is life's foundation and its fuel. The most important divine substance in the Verse. It flows from the mountains. In a time of war and in a time of peace, seeing it is a divine blessing of God."

Kaylee faintly smiles. She faintly chuckles.

Sounding better... She says, "well, you sure got a pretty way with words."

Book adds, "thank you, Kaylee."

Wash wonders, "you sure you definitely are fine?"

Book insists, "yes, Wash."

He then leaves the galley, taking his half empty glass of water with him.

Looking incredulous... She kind of sternly says, "Wash."

Kind of cluelessly... Wash says lowly, "what?!"

Kaylee just faintly rolls her eyes annoyedly as she picks up her hand of cards.

As the morning gives way to late afternoon...

Out of the black... Serenity is coming about in a sharp descent, towards a moon around the planet Three Hills.

It was named for the three wealthiest families that founded this border planet.

They lived on mansions on hills. Or at least, the immediate families at the time did.

Rain comes down often down the valleys.

Flooding has turned most of the land around the rocky hills into mud for mud farming.

The lower class folk got so tired of the three wealthy families looking down on them and leaving them to be flooded out that they made their own cities: Out of purplish gray to pale blackened ceramic medieval keep styled homes, animal hide hammocks, and high risen mounds of dried gray mud higher than the sea level goes.

Three Hills has been in a cold war since.

Not even the Alliance or the Browncoats came here in the Unification War to fight.

Leaders on both sides thought it best to leave the planet alone. So, outlaws coming and going have mostly gone unchecked: Ironically including the Browncoats.

As for Three Hills's moons?

Three moons circle around in space.

The first moon is New Lafayette.

French, American, and Chinese folk live there.

Wrought iron lattice towers and Chinese pagoda towers touch the constant cloudy skies. Mountains and desert go on for miles.

The second moon is Conrad.

Folks on Conrad boast they have the highest population and tourism of the Border Planets. Most retired Alliance folk, and folk with Hawaiian and Russian ancestors would agree.

It has mildly cloudy skies at worse and sunny days most days. Small grassy islands, ceramic huts and strongholds, and mined out volcanic hotspots are scattered across the mostly ocean covered moon.

And... The third moon is Bob.

It rains constantly with storm clouds. But, winds are usually mild.

Constant thunder and lightning has discouraged most animals from coming. No farms or easily spooked horses.

Electrical system manufacturing and telecommunications are major trades on Bob: For all manner of ships.

Medieval towers and Chinese pagoda towers of rustic red to very dark brown tower over lightning rod studded streets.

Waterproofed wires run down the lightning rods, all the way from marketplaces to electrical systems through the towers.

There's rarely ever been a power outage, and there's been no need for a on and off switch.

But, changing out bulbs and generators can burn up folk's hands if they aren't careful: Even with oven mitts.

Serenity comes to land on the docks.

Serenity's bright white lights flash brighter, over the thunder and lightning flashes.

Not long after...

Serenity's cargo ramp is opened up.

Zoe and Jayne are carrying out blackish gray crates one by one to the back of some blackish gray mule bikes.

Zoe's overcoat and Jayne's army jacket are buttoned up.

The rain pounds on. But, they barely seem to notice.

Some folk in the driver seats of the mule bikes look impatient, ready to drive off. They have slightly metallic looking gray driver jumpsuits, with a Alliance flag badge under each of the front pockets of the upper halves.

Further in the cargo hold... Mal is haggling over coin with some folk in burnt overalls and red and blue striped buttoned shirts.

One of them says, "fifteen a part."

Mal very faintly chuckles. He faintly smiles awkwardly.

He comments, "I don't know. I ain't going to like standing out counting these parts more than we ought to. We stay out long enough, lightning hits. How 'bout twenty?"

Thunder and lightning flashes are heard.

After a bit... The second guy concludes, "ten a bulb, twenty a navigation panel."

Mal concludes, "just as simple like. Done."

He and the first guy shake on it.

Looking kind of annoyed... The second guy quickly counts out five bags of platinum from his pockets.

He hands them over two by two for Mal to pocket.

His pockets are bulging, looking ready to burst open.

Mal just holds onto the last one, faintly smiling awkwardly over it.

Around then, in the cockpit...

Book is sitting by himself.

He's looking at a Cortex screen by the control panels.

Aged looking pictures of Three Hills cycle through on the archival feed.

As the feed cycles past a yellowish animal hide hammock over a random alley... Book gets faintly teary eyed.

Suddenly... Mal asks, "looking to get dropped off, Shepherd?"

He's kind of hunched over as he reaches the pilot seat. His feet seem a little sore from standing for a long time.

He moderately sighs, slouching in the seat.

Book slightly turns, noticing Mal.

With a faint smile... Book concludes, "no. Just...looking. The history of Three Hills is particularly of interest."

Kind of casually... Mal wonders, "is it now?"

Book lightly remarks, "their civil war is well documented. But, much outside of their civil war is a mystery."

Somewhat nervously... Mal comments, "yeah. You like your mysteries, Shepherd."

A little off put... Book wonders, "have I said something wrong?"

He turns completely to face Mal.

Mal faintly chuckles. He gets teary eyed.

He insists, "no. You ain't. But... Heavy sigh. River has been worried somethin' awful about you. That makes me worried."

Book goes, "ah."

There's a nervous uneasy silence.

After a bit... Book supposes, "Captain... Have you been to Three Hills?"

Mal recalls, "not for resting none. Only with stolen goods. Why you asking?"

Cold sounding all a sudden... Book answers, "I grew up in one of the cities."

Mal comments, "don't seem to be a good one to be resting in, I reckon."

Solemnly... Book figures, "it wasn't. Times wore hard."

Many years ago, when Book was nine...

His name was Henry Evans. He was wearing a orange T-shirt and gray pants.

The living area had some gray sleeping bags. A ragged green curtain hung over his sleeping bag.

The living area smelt of beer cans and bottles of alcohol with mud stains. Plenty laid scattered on the floor.

The back wall had stringy cobwebs and large cracks over the decayed over wind fans.

Flies and spiders crawled and flew over the decay and beer stains.

A discount Alliance dedicated source box was in the corner.

It had slots for computer disks and archival recorded Alli-ray discs. It had old fashioned antenna in the four corners. But, a old fashioned TV styled gray bordered screen was part of the heavy box.

Sometimes all it got was static through the rainstorms. No holographic screen. No altar shape.

Henry's dad was sleeping on the faintly decayed yellow couch. He was wearing a sleeveless white shirt and blue pants.

He was mostly bald with black sideburns. He had a thick beard and mustache.

His hand wandered subconsciously over one of the bottles.

Henry faintly sighed with relief.

He pulled over the curtain.

Henry picked up some corded black headphones by the discount Alliance dedicated source box. It was kind of hiding in the dark corner on top of a box.

He plugged it in.

Soon, he was lying back in his sleeping bag with his arms behind his back.

His hands were behind his head. He was wearing the headphones.

Mysterious rhythm and faint religious chants play in the instrumental music playing.

In a sea of tearing away green curtains... The living area seemed to just blow away.

And, Henry was thinking to himself:

 _I can climb behind my eyes…and let it all blow away. The world drops out from under me and I'm free. Drifting on the breeze, up…and away. Away._

His father suddenly threw off the headphones.

He glared moodily at him with one narrowing eye. His other eye is fatigued.

He attacked Henry...choking him.

He struggled to fight back. But, his arms just flailed aimlessly as he struggled to breathe.

And then... His father punched him in the face.

The sea of green curtains faded.

Henry coughed violently...as the living area faded from under him.

He fell unconscious.

That night...

Henry had a heavily bruised cheek. But, he was standing firm.

He had a light gray sack strapped over his shoulder.

His dad was lying on the couch, sleeping.

Henry moderately sighed in mixed feelings. He got teary eyed.

But, with a determined look... He walked out.

He closed the yellowish gray door behind him, heading out for a alley.

He walked on over the dried gray mud ground, past the rock sculpted sidewalks.

He walked past a yellowish animal hide hammock hung high up between two windows.

He walked past some drunk folk in pale blue overcoats sitting by the street corner.

And, Henry was thinking to himself:

 _This life is a fight. And if you sit still, someone will get the drop on you._

 _They'll pin you down._

 _I won't let it happen._

 _I'll protect myself, take what I need, and keep moving: Because it's every man for himself._

 _Get out of my way! This life is mine._

Presently, on Serenity...

Book finishes the thought, "my father was abusive. Faint sniffle. Soon as I could, I got out. Never came back."

Mal nervously gulps.

After a bit... Mal says, "I appreciate your story, shepherd. The son of a bitch had to had it comin'. But...I know you ain't being all honest."

Neither of them finds it easy to look up now.

There's a very uneasy and tense silence.

But, before Book might've said something... A little whooing like chone is heard over the Cortex screen.

Mal wonders, "did you go touch something?"

Book answers, "no."

There's static from the live feed. Probably due to weather interference though.

Mal goes over to the Cortex screen. Book stands back some by him.

On the screen... Over the static... A man in a gray coat and a gray cowboy hat brings up, "Captain Malcolm Reynolds. I heard you were in town."

Fairly stunned... Mal addresses the man, "this is Captain Malcolm Reynolds. What I'd first like to know is how did you heard. This job we on was supposed to be quiet."

The man faintly laughs.

The feed starts to cut out more.

He supposes, "you ain't the only...one on a quiet job. This...will be short and nice. Truth is, our boss...wants to get out of town real shiny 'fore the feds come to arrest him. Could use a mechanic to patch up his ship soon 'fore midnight. Could...make it worth eight thousand credits. No feds. How that sound?"

Mal very faintly smiles.

Sounding in a better mood... He figures, "it seems shiny. But, she ain't coming alone. Not in this weather and not with feds kind of expectin'."

The man concludes, "done. We...sent a second wave with the coordinates. Thank you for...your time, Captain."

Then... The feed is cut off.

Book looks nervous for a whole other reason.

Mal turns back to him.

He wonders, "what's wrong now?"

Book points out, "most of us are still in the midst of finishing a job. I also don't readily trust this man. Everything 'bout it seems it could be a trap."

With a faint smile... Mal figures, "which is why you just volunteered, shepherd. Figure you could take on a Alliance agent again if it come to it."

Somewhat nervously... Book concludes, "let us hope it doesn't."

Mal starts to look real annoyed. He's about to say something.

But, interestingly...he drops it just as quick.

He faintly uneasily chuckles to himself.

Book is already heading out of the cockpit door.

A short while later...

Book is in his overcoat, letting the rain drench his hair.

Kaylee is in her wintery coat with the hood up. She's carrying some of her tools in the pockets.

The kind of easily spooked folk in slightly metallic gray and red overcoats are coming back home on horseback.

Some folk were closing up shop in the marketplaces. They're heading down underground to their living areas for the night.

Despite the rain, thunder, and lightning... Kaylee seems to be cheerful.

She keeps silently admiring the lightning rods and wires coming down the towers. Only the thunder shakes her some.

Kaylee and Book walk on toward the back of a tower. The coordinates given led here.

Book looks somewhat nervous.

The folk closing up shop, nervous calls to the horses from folk coming back on horseback, the lightning... All Book can really think back to is the mental images in his mind of walking away in a desert.

Screaming. Massive fiery explosions over tactical Cortex screens.

Debris of ships floating in space. Punches echo.

Worriedly... Kaylee suddenly asks, "you all right, Shepherd?"

She's paused, standing in front of him.

Somewhat confidently... Book insists, "yes. It's...just reminiscent of my childhood."

Kaylee figures, "well, even if you ain't much for talking 'bout it...I'd still like to know your story."

Book very faintly smiles. He gets a little teary eyed.

He concludes, "it's a long story. Besides... Very faint sniffle. It is not a happy story, Kaylee."

Kaylee solemnly nods. She gets a little teary eyed herself.

Kaylee concludes, "still...I'd like to."

In a somewhat distant tone... Book is quick to say, "perhaps."

Kaylee is a little disturbed by that. But, she doesn't say anything.

She just kind of looks down as they keep walking.

After a bit... They're at the coordinates for the very dark red medieval tower.

The wooden back door has a knocker with a gold Chinese dragon head.

Thunder and lightning flashes.

Just then... Some figures in gray coats and cowboy hats come out of the shadows.

They have their crowbar shaped blackish brown rifles drawn out and ready.

Book starts to draw out his long tipped gun.

Kaylee reactively gets behind him. She's breathing nervously.

Book concludes, "I take it to mean there is no...job."

Then, with his best eye... He catches sight of a figure on a balcony a few floors up.

He has a gray coat and a cowboy hat too. But, his rifle is blackish and very dim red.

A set of black binoculars is on his belt. A earwig is in his ear.

He laughs to himself as he hears Book over his earwig.

Half heartedly... One of the mystery figures says, "sorry. We have our boss to look out for."

Book is cautiously backing further away, trying to cover Kaylee.

The mystery figures on the ground don't fire.

Book calls out, "I'll get back to the ship. Go!"

Kaylee breaks into a run down a alley.

Thunder and lightning flashes.

Book is aiming for the figure a few floors up. But, with his rifle...the figure shoots faster.

A loud choo goes off.

Book stumbles over.

Dark red liquid seeps into part of his overcoat. Dark red liquid is dripping from his side.

He groans violently.

Even so...he hasn't taken his hand off his long tipped gun.

He's about to shoot up...when two of the figures in gray coats shoot it out of his hand.

Some loud choos go off.

Book's gun loudly clinks against the ground.

Book coughs violently.

More dark red liquid drips from his sides. He's losing consciousness.

And...he can hear Kaylee sobbing and whimpering.

The third figure in a gray overcoat has come back around the alley to cut off her escape.

Kaylee looks terrified and teary eyed, shakily standing there.

Some tears fall.

She cries out, "no! ! !"

A loud choo goes off.

And, as it goes off... Book falls into the dark.

* * *

 _Act II_

When Book wakes up...

The rain is gone. But, storm clouds still loom over the dim night sky.

The bedroom is dark.

Through some open white wooden doors, only the view from the balcony brings some star light in.

Book is hanging from a gold chandelier with long burnt out light bulbs.

He's tied up in spare wires over a body cast.

The body cast has a Christian cross crossed in drops of his dark red liquid. Dried dark red liquid is around most of the cast.

Kaylee is tied up in a wooden chair.

She's tied up in spare wires. But, she doesn't have a single shot in her.

She has a nasty bruise on her forehead.

But, soon as she got up... She had found a ice pack tied up over it.

Despite being teary eyed... Kaylee greatly sighs in mixed relief.

And standing in front of them...is the mystery figure from the balcony.

His cowboy hat is off by his very dim red sheeted bed.

From a closer look, he has medium dark blond hair.

Some long strands of hair are over his face. Some gray is in his hair further back.

With a icy voice... He laughs.

With a vicious glare... The mystery figure mutters, "Derrial Book. I been waiting years for this."

Somewhat nervously... Book figures, "I'm sorry, son. I don't believe we met."

The mystery figure concludes, "oh right smart we ain't have. I'm under a different name out in Three Hills. Dealin' in pharmaceutical plant clippings are awful good for more than decent surviving. But now, that ain't mattering. I'm Jalil Claypool: The young brother of Hope Claypool...who you bloody well had done in!"

Kaylee looks wide eyed in disbelief.

Book is looking real nervous. He gets teary eyed.

Blurred images of a woman creeps into his mind.

She has slightly curly medium dirty blond hair. She wears a sweat filled sleeveless top.

Both of her hands are handcuffed to the wooden chair. A dim light is on in the militaristic dark orange room.

A loud choo. A loud scream.

She falls dead against the chair.

Dark red liquid starts to seep in her top.

And, in distorted echoes... A officer's voice says, "he wants...wants...this war...this war...ended like no one...no one...I've ever...ever met."

Soon though... The mental images are replaced by another kind of pain.

Jalil violently punches Book in the side several times.

Book coughs violently. He coughs up some dark red liquid.

Some held back tears fall from his face.

Jalil laughs.

He mutters viciously, "remember now? Remember the interrogation you...?!"

Kaylee cries out, "no!"

She's sobbing in the chair, looking down.

Jalil turns to her.

He moderately sighs.

Solemnly all a sudden... Jalil says, "yīndào xiàshuǐdào shǔ. You're no soldier."

Teary eyed still... Kaylee looks up somewhat shakily.

With mixed feelings... She nervously looks right at him.

Kaylee says, "no, I ain't. Sniffle! But, as soon as the Captain knows we're gone..."

Kaylee breathes in very nervously.

After a bit... She points out, "I'm sorry: I ain't known your sister got killed. Sniffle! But, who ever killed her, the captain will come for yah."

Jalil faintly laughs.

He paces a little.

Then... He admits, "I was expectin' more soldiers. Bloody hell, I was kinda hoping Alliance would. Faint laugh. I was snatching you so Derrial would come out of hiding. But, now... Moderate sigh. What do I do with you?"

Interestingly, Kaylee very faintly smirks.

She comments, "well, you could just let me go back to the captain. You were gonna anyhow."

Jalil faintly laughs. He concludes, "sorry Kaywinnet Lee Fyre. I kind of still like survivin'."

Kaylee looks stunned.

After a bit... Kaylee murmurs, "h...how did you know my proper name?"

River once unintentionally read it from her mind.

She apologized. But, it didn't seem to bother Kaylee much.

Still...she never told anyone outside of Mal, Inara, or folk off in her hometown her legal full name.

Jalil explains coldly, "I been collectin' Alliance records for years on Derrial's whereabouts. Copies of Alliance records are kind of easy to get ahold of if you got the credits. And, with how he were all-out gone...it weren't all hard."

Nine to ten years ago, on the I.A.V. Cortez...

It was in the middle of the Unification War. The year was 2508.

Book had mostly gray matted hair. But, he had it dyed black along with his mustache to appear much younger.

This was to look more intimidating to other officers.

But, on a particular day...it was different.

He was in a Roman styled Alliance Commander's office.

3D printer restorations of Roman vases and statuettes even decorated the dark gray pillar pedestals.

Past the four rectangular windows... Burnt debris of ships floated in the black of space.

A grayish looking planet was past the debris. But, with how distant it was, it could just be a lifeless asteroid.

Book was in a Alliance military uniform. But, two Alliance MPs had their rifles drawn and ready toward him.

The Alliance MPs were standing in the back of the room. They were smirking.

A Alliance Commander with medium frontless platinum blond hair glared at Book.

Sternly... The Alliance Commander muttered, "soldier, you just masterminded the single greatest disaster in Alliance history. Four thousand men, Derrial Book. Does that mean anything to you?!"

He slammed his open hand on the desk, by some legal Alliance papers in blue ink.

Half convincingly... Book was insisting, "this isn't my fault, Commander."

He turned away some as he did. He was getting a little teary eyed.

The Alliance Commander commented, "you keep telling yourself that."

After a bit... The Alliance Commander said, "I spoke to Alliance Command. They wanted you shot. But, in your case, Parliament and Alliance Intelligence ruled differently."

With some relief... Book very faintly smiled.

With contempt in his voice... The Alliance Commander explained, "there was a new legislative ruling to please all branches of The Alliance. You will be discharged without trial. This will be swept under the gorram rug, as we do with any embarrassments. But, you won't be shot. Over Alliance Command's objections, you'll keep your badge and your Ident Card. But, if you try to command any Alliance officer from now on, the Hands of Blue will deal with you...immediately."

Book gulped nervously at the last part.

The Alliance Commander cruelly smiled at his nervousness.

The Alliance Commander said, "you'll be escorted to a sabotaged escape pod. We'll blame it on a mole with the Browncoats. No one will think you're alive. But, you might as well not be."

With a heated glare... Book argues, "if it's proven in a trial that it wasn't my fault, that would be murder. But then, I wouldn't expect that you would sign off on it."

The Alliance Commander faintly laughs. He sharply comments, "a happy coincidence for Alliance Command. Get him off the ship."

He turned to face the window, his back to Book.

He started to get teary eyed. But, he'd never want to show it in front of him.

The two MPs were forcibly escorting Book out.

He struggled. But, it wasn't doing much good against their armor.

But, as he was dragged out of the office... He was still glaring at the Alliance Commander.

Presently...

There's a chilling silence.

Then... Kaylee asks very nervously, "shepherd? Is it true you were with The Alliance?"

Book heavily sighs.

He concludes, "I... Faint sniffle. I might not make it. But, I guess there is a divine justice in this."

At a near whisper... Kaylee says in disbelief, "what?"

Jalil very faintly laughs. He adds, "yes. Humility before you're done in. I'd expect it from a shepherd. But, not from you."

In a cutaway... A teenage Jalil is in a meeting place resembling a underground mining tunnel.

Some adult Browncoats in white blackened lab coats are talking to him.

One of them tries to reach out.

But... Teenage Jalil cries, "no! Bloody hell with you!"

He runs crying...leaving his browncoat behind.

Back in present Jalil's tower...

Book comments cuttingly, "you don't really know me, Jalil. You just looked at legal papers."

Not sounding sure... Kaylee starts to ask, "I...don't get it. What's so damn...?"

Then... Book somberly confesses, "I...was a double agent for the Browncoats."

In a brief cutaway... A young adult Henry Evans is wearing a brown coat, a stretched out orange shirt, and dark gray pants. He has crew cut lines of black hair, a mostly bald head, and a thin matching mustache.

He's by a fenced off edge of a marketplace...tackling and high kicking two Alliance officers without even breathing hard.

In another brief cutaway... Henry is lying unconscious on a gray operating table.

There are surgeons in white blackened lab coats with white surgeon masks and sunglasses.

In the bright examination light, they are inserting a biorobotic eye in him that looks creepily exactly like a human eye. It has many wires and nano-transmitters built together in a pillar like stem.

Brief hints of a dark red liquid lined eyeful of past identity are seen on a gray pan nearby.

In a third brief cutaway... Henry takes someone's identity: As instructed by the Browncoats.

In a dark alley, he sneaks up on a man with medium frontless black hair.

Soon, he slits his throat with a wire.

And then...he very nervously walks away with Derrial Book's Ident Card and papers.

Back in present Jalil's tower...

Book continues, "I had to work my way up to cause a big enough disaster to keep the Browncoats resisting in the war. But..."

He sniffles hard. He closes his eyes, holding back tears.

Book confesses, "no day comes and goes I don't think of the innocent men and women I killed. I wish I hadn't had to do those damn things. But... Hard sniffle! We thought it was the only way to fly high: Keep as many people as we could safe and let God judge us after we did for our great sin. Hard sniffle. In a few years, the war ended in stalemate. Hard sniffle. I...was trying to protect you and everyone else on the ship from my great sin. God, I'm sorry."

Then... He can't hold back anymore.

He breaks down...sobbing from high up.

Jalil just laughs hard. He clearly doesn't believe a word of Book's confession.

Kaylee is sobbing in the chair. Pained tears just keep falling.

Then, all of a sudden... Shots are heard.

Jalil draws out his rifle.

He fast walks over to the balcony.

In frustration... He calls out, "bloody hell: What now?!"

* * *

 _Act III_

Just then...

On the ground before the tower... Horses come charging in.

With some loud choos... Shots are heard.

Mal, Zoe, and Jayne are riding in on horseback.

With Jayne's other hand on his Goncz GA-9 pistol... And, with Mal's other hand on his Liberty Hammer pistol... Jayne and Mal are firing at Jalil's privately gathered guard of Graycoats.

The Graycoats duck fast to the side, landing on their sides.

The bullets nearly hit them. But, they groan violently some on the ground.

Soon... Mal, Zoe, and Jayne have gotten off the horses.

With a very faint smirk... Zoe draws out her custom made rifle.

Jayne puts away his pistol.

With his army jacket open... Jayne's mostly orange T-shirt is showing.

It has some hard to make out Chinese writing in black ink on a tan yellow hexagonal patch on the left shoulder, black lining around the sleeves and neckline, and a white flamingo balanced on one leg on it.

With a intense glare to the Graycoats... He draws out Vera from who knows where.

With icy glares... The Graycoats get to their feet.

They draw out their rifles, ready to fire.

All around... Loud choos go off.

One of the Graycoats almost reactively clutches her arm. She's groaning violently.

Hints of dark red liquid are seen dripping from where Zoe's shot hit her.

The Graycoat fires back.

Zoe duck tumbles down to the ground, landing hunched over on her feet.

The shot barely misses her.

One of the Graycoats is shot dead by Jayne, with hints of dark red liquid splatter.

Mal is about to shoot at one of the Graycoats.

But, then... He catches sight of Jalil aiming for him from the balcony.

Frustratedly... Mal mutters, "gorramit!"

He runs out to a nearby alley.

Several shots are heard behind him. They make splashes in puddles on the ground.

Zoe mutters under her breath, "gorram!"

Jayne and Zoe split up, running for cover from Jalil's shots.

On opposite sides, they stand against the walls of the tower.

They're catching their breath some.

The left standing Graycoat back in the back is running hurriedly through the back door.

She slams it shuts it behind her.

Mal pauses in the alley, catching his breath some.

Three Graycoats are coming around the other side. They're armed, ready to fire.

Mal then notices a trash bin, some lights, and some wiring connecting the lights.

Just as they're about to corner him... Mal very faintly smirks.

He lightly remarks, "hey now. Didn't your mommas tell you you ain't cut out for them shiny light handiwork?"

And, with his pistol aimed from behind the trash bin to cover it from plain view... He shoots off the wiring.

A loud choo goes off.

Sparks dance over the wet trash bin and nearby lights.

In seconds... The lights burn out and explode in shattering glass.

The three Graycoats double back, temporarily blinded from the blinding light.

They cry out from the sharp pain in their eyes.

They were firing their rifles. But, they just aimlessly shoot bullets into the alley walls.

Mal fast walks back further down the alley.

One of the shots hits him.

Hints of dark red liquid are seen dripping from his side.

He coughs violently some. But, he's walking fine.

Soon, the three Graycoats start to rub their eyes. Their sight is slowly coming back.

But, just then... Mal shoots all three of them from behind.

With a splash from hitting the puddles below them... They fall dead.

With a satisfied look... Mal starts to fast walk out of the alley.

Meanwhile, up in Jalil's tower...

Jalil walks back in from the balcony, lowering his rifle.

He mutters some hard to hear Chinese under his breath as he does.

With a pause... Jalil looks back to Kaylee.

She's still sobbing.

For a long second in his mind... Jalil sees Hope sitting in that same chair.

Many a shot is heard from behind the wooden door further back. Several thuds are heard soon after.

With a solemn hard sigh... Jalil says, "I ain't want to get a innocent woman done in. You're free to git."

With his bare hands, he tears off the spare wires around Kaylee's body.

With her arms kind of numb still... Kaylee barely catches the ice pack to hold back up against her forehead.

Stunned, sad, and confused all at once... Kaylee murmurs, "thank you?"

From behind her... Jalil is determinedly aiming his rifle at Book.

Book has gone cold silent.

He closes his eyes...praying silently to God and expecting the worse.

Then... A very familiar face comes barging in through the door.

It's Inara...armed and ready with her Ruger Mk II pistol.

Inara is in a very dark blue purplish dress with ocean waves patterned on it. She's wearing a necklace of yellowish orange stone sized beads and a necklace of bluish red stone sized beads.

Kaylee in the chair, Book over the chandelier, Jalil with the rifle... Inara looks too shocked for words at it all.

She gets teary eyed. She faintly sniffles.

Inara says nervously, "oh mǎxì tuán hóuzi fènbiàn. What is going on?!"

There's a brief very awkward silence.

Interestingly... Jalil puts down his rifle.

He very faintly laughs, much to Inara's and Kaylee's shaken unease.

Jalil suggests, "good. Graycoats came to try to stop us. But, from the sound of it, the worst is done."

Overcome by sadness with everything that's happened... Kaylee doesn't even catch much of Jalil's lies.

Sounding a little calmer... Inara figures, "please. Moderate sigh. Just tell me what happened. I'll get Kaylee out of here."

Starting to really stir from the chair... Kaylee very faintly smiles.

Inara offers her hand to Kaylee. But, she doesn't lower her pistol.

Forgetting anything else... Kaylee just very thankfully rushes to Inara's side.

She's holding her close with her free arm. Her other arm is still holding the ice pack over her forehead.

With a bold faced lie... Jalil says, "ain't it real painful? Shepherd tried to kill himself. But, he's with us. The worst is done. Very faint laugh. All those funerals. Preachers can bloody well work themselves to dìyù."

Inara starts to turn slowly to leave with Kaylee.

Jalil is still holding his rifle.

But, just as Inara is about to close the door behind them... Inara pauses.

Inara whispers somberly, "Kaylee, it'll be okay. Faint sniffle. Don't you look."

In the dim light past the door... She's holding Kaylee close with her free arm.

Kaylee just faintly murmurs, "okay."

Jalil is about to shoot Book.

But, then... Through the slightly open door... Inara shoots Jalil in the side.

Jalil doubles over, coughing violently.

With a loud thud... His rifle drops out of his hands.

Dark red liquid starts to seep through his gray coat. But, he's still breathing.

Then... Mal comes fast walking in, right past Inara and Kaylee.

He very coldly looks at the sight before him.

And, without a second thought...Mal shoots Jalil dead.

By then, the shooting has stopped.

From several floors up... Dead bodies of Graycoats line one of the halls.

In kind of a hurry, Jayne and Zoe are coming down the wooden stairs.

In a creepy kind of way... Mal concludes, "it's done."

Not sure what to think about what he just did... Inara just looks shaken and teary eyed.

With her arm still around Kaylee... She puts away her pistol.

Some bittersweet pained tears fall from her face.

Still in the room... Mal cuttingly remarks, "shepherd... Faint chuckle. Never thought a Man of God could feel judged."

And, under the body cast and wires around him... Book can't help but very faintly laugh.

Not very long after...

Serenity is clearing atmo for the black of space.

In the cockpit... Wash is piloting.

He faintly laughs.

He comments, "quiet. But, I can't say I'll miss Bob soon. What the hell kind of name for a moon is that? Bob?"

Mal faintly chuckles. He comments back, "a half damn more sense than your back-berth planet's governin'."

He starts to walk out of the cockpit.

Wash suddenly turns to him.

Wash adds solemly, "yeah well, it's Deadwood Mal. I can't say I miss it. I'm glad though Book didn't become deadwood."

Mal pauses. He very faintly nods.

He solemnly says, "yeah. Good thing."

With a faint smile... Wash then turns back to the controls.

Mal walks out through the open cockpit door, heading down the hall.

Soon, in the ship's infirmary...

Book is in a medical bed. But, he's conscious.

Medical tubes are in his side. A new cast is around his body: With some dark red liquid seeped in all over.

Simon is standing by his side. Mal is standing facing Simon.

Looking dead serious... Mal asks him, "could you give us a minute, doctor?"

Simon moderately sighs. He reluctantly says, "all right. He still needs rest. But, his vital signs are surprisingly good for losing a lot of blood. So..."

Mal just adds, "thank you."

Simon steps out of the Infirmary. But, he stands out by the open door in case.

A little teary eyed still... Book looks up.

He says, "hello."

With a very faint smile... Mal says, "hey Shepherd. We're gonna have that talk with what happened with that send off."

Book knew all too well what time he was calling back to.

Book heavily sighs. He starts to tell, "I haven't been fully honest. I'm sorry. Hard sniffle! Hidden operatives in law can..."

Kind of sudden... Mal figures, "you ain't need to be tellin' who you killed to get up there, shepherd. You were a fancible double agent for the Browncoats. Knew you had to be a double agent since The Alliance gave us that kind of send off. But, after crashin' on that ancient forgotten rock...I got to think on what side you must real be on."

With a very faint smile... Book concludes solemnly, "thank you. I was hoping there was never a time to ask: Protect you from knowing my great sin. But... Faint sniffle. I wouldn't blame a good man if there were a need."

Mal gets teary eyed. But, he acts like it's nothing.

Mal decides, "you're welcome. Faint sniffle. But now on, you check if there awful bad blood 'tween you and our contacts. I ain't want more than need to hear. But, I ain't havin' one on my crew get snatched again by awful bad blood. Dong ma?"

Book says, "I understand." Mal adds, "good."

Book thinks out loud, "to be honest...I was truly thinking you would throw me off: Soon as I could walk."

Kind of too firmly... Mal concludes, "no, no need. You ain't without humanity. I'm a mean old man."

Book starts saying, "thank you. But..."

Mal is quick to ask, "what is it?"

With a storm of mixed feelings... Book voices somberly, "you think you are damned for life? I've done things, Mal. Sins I can't even begin to tell you. Hard sniffle. Yes. It was to save as many innocent Independents as we could. But... Hard sniffle. I think I'm damned more than you, son."

Some tears fall from his face. But, he doesn't close his eyes.

Mal very faintly smiles. But, he sniffles hard himself.

There's a brief awkward nervous silence.

Then... Mal faintly chuckles.

He faintly remarks, "pretty words, shepherd. But, I know what colors you flyin'. I just had Serenity's colors."

With a concerned look... Book challenges, "is that all there is?"

Bordering on real nervous... Mal says, "shepherd... Moderate sigh. You go down this road, you ain't like what you find."

Solemnly... Book considers, "in time, you might think different. There are many roads to forgiveness and decent living."

Mal concludes cuttingly, "still...no way in hell I'm gonna find it. My crew can aim for decent living. I just got Serenity."

With a faint smile... Book reflects, "that's very odd to say for a man like you."

With a very faint smile... Mal concludes, "no. Serenity is my ship. Don't think on it much. I ain't."

With that, he walks out of the Infirmary.

Late that night...

A little teary eyed... Book stirs from his sleep.

His eyes open...to see Jayne standing there.

Tensely... Jayne figures, "yah, its me. The doc said you oughta sleep. But, I ain't waitin' to saw the next guy snatch up Kaylee. So, you oughta start talkin' preacher."

He has his fists clenched by his sides. Yet, he doesn't look eager to raise them.

Book deduces tiredly, "I understand how you feel. But, we're not expected anywhere tomorrow. Now let me sleep."

Book yawns some.

Sounding a bit better... Jayne presses, "then you'll tell me how you know so much 'bout crime?"

Book implies, "could you listen to the full truth?"

Jayne faintly laughs. He says outright, "I know neurotic and psychotic. I ain't scared of no war."

Thinking back to the story of how Jayne joined Mal's crew... Book very faintly smiles.

Book says, "all right. Tomorrow."

Jayne very faintly smirks.

He just says, "all right."

He then walks off, leaving Book to go back to sleep.

Meanwhile, in Inara's shuttle...

Mal and Inara are sitting on the couch.

They're both looking awkward and nervous. They're both a little teary eyed.

Thinking back to Mal's story about Book's Ident card... Inara realizes, "you think Book told her?"

Mal somberly assumes, "yeah, I reckon he had. Why she go straight to her bunk all quiet a sudden if it ain't?"

With a faint sniffle... Inara recollects, "just like with River."

Looking down... She deeply sighs.

A tear falls from her face.

Inara holds Mal's hand in hers. He firmly holds hers back.

Inara says, "I just... Faint sniffle. I wish we could do more to help her, Mal."

Mal concludes, "lettin' her be is helpin', Inara. It ain't shiny. But, it's plenty."

Inara very faintly nods.

With a very faint smile... She adds, "maybe."

Meanwhile, in Kaylee's bunk...

Thinking back to when Book first came onboard... Kaylee has in her hands a faintly familiar wooden box he gave her.

She's lying in her bed under the sheets. But, she can't sleep.

Teariness lingers in Kaylee's eyes. She sniffles hard.

The top of the sheets is kind of wet still from all the crying.

Then... She hears someone climbing down.

Off sounding... Kaylee asks, "River?"

She seemed alone.

But, all a sudden... River is standing by her bed.

She's teary eyed. But, she's only a little shaky.

Kaylee moderately sighs in mixed relief.

With a faint smile... Kaylee says, "hey sweetie. You couldn't sleep?"

A little cryptic... River figures, "you were there for me. Sniffle. You took care of me when Simon can't have. Came for you."

Thinking back to when she was comforting River for several days... Kaylee blushes a little.

She very faintly chuckles.

After a bit... Kaylee kind of reluctantly says, "okay. But, I ain't going to feel like talking much at all."

With a faint smile... River tries to assure her, "don't got to say what is in your brain: Can't not feel."

Kaylee very faintly chuckles. She wonders, "okay. What am I thinking, River?"

River climbs up on to the bed.

Soon, she's lying down face up by her on top off the sheets.

River gathers, "good days with preacher. Me. No different than seeing me shoot. Feel close to how you were."

Looking fairly stunned... Kaylee says, "wow. I...I think you're right."

Confidently... River goes, "hm-hmm."

Sounding a little better now... Kaylee realizes, "then this will all be okay."

The teariness in her eyes starts drying up.

River concludes, "you'll be okay. Can sleep now?"

With a yawn... Kaylee starts to say, "I can try. But..."

Eagerly... And, with a big smile... River is quick to say, "I'll help."

She turns over, kind of lying down face down very near Kaylee.

All a sudden... She pulls out two paddle like deliberators from who knows where.

Teary eyed for a whole other reason... Kaylee looks terrified.

She's breathing very nervously.

But, even with her nervousness... Kaylee puts her hands around River's hands to try to move them away.

At a near whisper... Kaylee cries out, "River! Hard sniffle. Please. Please don't."

Some tears fall from her face.

Picking up on her feelings... River drops the defiberators away by the bed.

There's a somewhat loud thud.

Some tears fall from River's face.

River somberly murmurs, "sorry. Sniffle! I was..."

Trying to smile... Kaylee assures, "it's okay River. You were only trying to help."

They hug each other tight.

There's a shaky silence.

Then... They kind of pull away.

With some lingering nervousness from the shock of what almost happened... Kaylee offers, "you could sleep with me. I'm sure that would help."

A little more cheerfully... River says, "okay."

They awkwardly very faintly smile to each other.

River starts to get under the sheets.

The teariness in their eyes start to dry up.

River gets comfortable on her side.

With their arms casually around each other... They're falling fast asleep.

And, as they are... Serenity keeps on flying through the black.

* * *

 _References Side Notes:_

1) The comic Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale by Zack Whedon and Joss Whedon

2) Firefly: Tall Card Game; game details from BoardGameGeek


	11. S2, Ep 1: Better Days, Part 1

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Better Days, Part 1:

 _Teaser_

Before a yellowish sky... The sun is setting over Persephone.

Middle class folk and high class folk in shuttle styled hovercars of orange and purple to blue and red take to the skies and the highways. The rush back home is starting up.

The highways are made mostly with bulletproof metals. More cautious folk tend to take to them.

Some highways are even stacked up. Sometimes, gangs use them to provide cover from bullets high up.

Meanwhile, in a little art gallery...

In the two art rooms... There's several glass cases and nine black and white paintings.

The walls are dark blue. They have dark green banner like wall plating and light green control panels with Ident card slots.

Cameras are at every corner. The yellow lights are dim and fluctuating some from wear and tear.

One painting is of some Pages at a table in a castle. One is abstract, with many concert hall like planks sticking out.

In a glass case, there's a smiling gold statue of a man holding up a golden globe with both hands. In another, there's a gold stand with three big metal nut like food and water canisters: Back from the days of the Exodus from the Earth-That-Was.

With a wide grin... And, with teeth showing... Jayne goes, "we gonna be rich."

He's got a cigar with a burnt end in the corner of his mouth.

He's crouching on the floor, holding a gold painted tray styled like a treasure chest.

He's in a bluish gray T-shirt. He has light green trousers: With two black straps over his shoulders.

Mal and Zoe briefly look at Jayne suspiciously. Mal seems more tempered though.

Mal and Zoe are disguised as janitorial crew in gray plumber like uniforms. They both got rubber gloves on.

Zoe is also wearing a matching soft cap hat, with a rounded crown and a engraved A on it.

Then... Zoe has her back to the others.

She's taking down one of the paintings to put into a gray sack on the ground.

Annoyed sounding... Simon observes, "that's an ashtray."

Simon is in gray pants and a black formal suit over white. He's also wearing metal rimmed round glasses with copper red lens and a black and blue striped tie.

With a faint smile... Mal figures, "see doc? Said you'd be of use."

He's putting a painting into a gray sack on the ground. A second is already in it.

Jayne is putting the fancy ashtray in his sack. It's already got some gold statues in it.

Jayne spits out the used cigar by the sack, letting it land on the floor.

A bit confused... Simon says, "I still don't understand. We're on Persephone: There's a market for art in this crap?"

Mal faintly chuckles. He comments back, "same anywhere you get on Persephone. You really got to ask?"

With a very faint smile... Simon lightly remarks, "and so one man's trash is another man's art."

Jayne casually figures, "yah. Ashtray's a damn sight prettier'n them scribblings to...'em."

Suddenly... Some loud choos go off.

Zoe asks, "what was that, sir?"

Jayne stands up, getting his bag over his back one handed.

With his free hand, he's quick to draw out his Goncz GA-9 pistol.

A alarm loudly goes off. Screams. Fast running.

Jayne suddenly puts down the sack.

He mutters to himself, "gorram."

He just realized he can't load his pistol and hold the sack at the same time.

Mal realizes, "seems we ain't alone."

Kind of sarcastically... Zoe comments, "you think?"

Zoe and Mal are already running out the gray door: Both carrying their sacks over their backs one handed.

Simon is running out with them.

They're heading for a commandeered Xpresscargo garbage truck like dark and tan green truck in the back.

By the time Jayne loads his pistol... The door closes.

From the front hall... Two gangs are seen in a shootout.

One wears black overcoats and black sunglasses. The other wears gray T-shirts and sharp brown cargo pants.

There's only two guys left standing on both sides. They're clutching their dark red liquid dripping sides.

The others are dead on the floor.

Teary eyed... One of the guys with black overcoats cries out, "Vincennes!"

Angrily... One of the guys with gray T-shirts cries out, "Bracken!"

Two big open brown sacks are by them.

Seeing the two big sacks there... Jayne suddenly faintly smirks to himself.

Instead of running out... He fires his pistol into the front hall.

Both guys with gray T-shirts are shot dead...with hints of dark red liquid splatter.

Somewhat coldly... Bracken orders, "get the shiny Source Box. I got this gunner."

Bracken has slightly long somewhat messy blackish brown hair and a slightly curved scar over his cheek.

With a nod... The other guy grabs up one of the big sacks.

He's making a run for it through another gray door.

Jayne comes out into the hall, trying to get a better lock on the guy.

But, with a slight glare... Bracken shoots out the pistol from Jayne's hand with a moderately loud choo.

The other guy is already gone.

Ignoring the throbbing in his hand... Jayne just glares.

With a angry cry... He charges right for Bracken.

Jayne tackles him...right through a wall.

Bracken's grayish blue rimmed black pistol flies out of his hand.

Bracken is coughing violently against the rubble. Half of his heavily bruised body is outside.

Bracken tries to punch Jayne. But, Jayne is quicker.

He punches him violently back down.

Bracken falls unconscious.

Jayne's about to shoot him.

But then... He hears whirling sirens outside.

With some frustration... Jayne mutters some very hard to hear Chinese to himself.

He puts away his pistol.

He kind of quickly grabs up the other big sack.

As he does though... He catches a glimpse of what's inside.

He runs out the back, grinning to himself.

Just seconds later... Some Alliance police hovercars circle around the art gallery.

Not long after...

Jayne is running through a wide alley.

He's kind of out of breath from carrying the big sack.

The commandeered Xpresscargo truck drives around to the other end of the alley.

Mal gets out of the front. And, he does not look happy.

Nervous... Jayne starts to say, "Mal. I..."

Mal just says, "get inside."

Jayne doesn't argue. He just gets into the open back.

Zoe closes the back of the truck, slamming it down.

Mal gets back into the driver's seat. A very nervous looking Simon is in the other front seat.

With Mal at the wheel... The truck drives away.

As early night gives way to night...

They're back on Serenity. But, dinner was not serene: Just quiet and nervous.

Not long after...

In Jayne's bunk... The big sack is lying on the floor...and it's empty with a hole cut through it.

Jayne is sitting on the side of his bed: Looking down.

He looks nervous. He's even trembling a little.

Back in his usual trousers and his dark red overshirt... Mal mutters under his breath, "gorramit! Not even much as a coin."

He kicks the sack across the floor.

There's a nervous tense silence.

Mal is pacing.

After a bit... Mal points out, "you know, we were about to get paid for a art collection. Then, you go and get greedy!"

Jayne gulps nervously. He's not looking up.

Interestingly... Jayne tells, "I were going to catch up, Mal. But, I got caught up in a knife fight! Heavy sigh. I had to save myself with that gorram sack there 'fore the cops would get me pinched. But, I ain't thought to look where..."

Coldly... Mal figures, "yeah. Well, you ain't looked good enough."

Jayne apologizes, "sorry Mal. I ought to do better."

Mal firmly nods.

He concludes, "yeah. I appreciate tryin' to get a bigger payday for us. But, it ain't worked. Did it now?"

Jayne answers, "naw, that don't."

Sounding more satisfied... Mal concludes, "right. I hope you learned somethin' Jayne. Cause next time you get this careless, I'm haulin' you off Serenity myself. Dong ma?"

Annoyed sounding... Jayne says, "yeah."

Mal heavily sighs. He concludes, "okay. Glad we got that straightened out."

Jayne just heavily sighs.

Mal walks out the door to Jayne's bunk...slamming it shut behind him.

Soon as Jayne doesn't hear his loud footsteps though... He sighs with mixed relief.

He tears up a little.

He then gets up.

And... Jayne is thinking to himself:

 **Sorry Mal. But, I ain't gonna real let you down again. I got to first be sure.**

At a closer look... A lot of torn out bed stuffing is seen under his bed.

Jayne tears off the bedsheets and the top half of the cut open mattress, letting them fall.

And, over the other half... There's a lot of rubber band stacks of Alliance paper bills...worth 300 million credits.

* * *

 _Act I_

Late that night, in the cockpit...

Jayne is sitting by a Cortex screen by the control panels. And, at the moment, no one else is in the cockpit.

Out there is the black of space.

There's some static from the live feed. But...the picture is clear enough between the static to see who.

It's Saffron.

She's wearing a low cut darkish green Victorian dress, with smallish silk sleeves and some bent black leaf stem like lining.

With help from the modified two way radio and a modified dedicated Source Box on Saffron's end... They've been able to see each other over the Cortex since two weeks ago.

Delicate sounding... Saffron wonders, "so...what is the big news you want to tell me?"

Jayne looks on edge. He glances suspiciously around for a bit.

But, realizing it's just them... He very faintly smirks.

Jayne admits, "I ain't even told Mal yet. But... Faint laugh. I got rich."

Saffron looks stunned.

She's smiling wider and wider.

Excitedly... Saffron says, "oh god. Oh my god!"

She's a little teary eyed. But, she's still smiling.

She's even groaning sexually while she's loosening her dress to show off her breasts.

In a low tone... Jayne irritatedly calls out, "Saffron!"

Saffron stops.

Very delicately and nervous all a sudden... Saffron asks, "what? I thought..."

Jayne kind of awkwardly explains, "naw: It is what you thought. But, you gonna wake up the whole damn ship."

Saffron blushes nervously.

With a smile though... Saffron tells him, "I'm sorry Jayne. I just...I'm so happy. You know?"

Sounding better and amused all at once... Jayne says, "now I real do."

He grins back.

Seductively... Saffron voices, "I'll do anything you want. Please: Just come back to me. We can enjoy your large pounds of riches together. One on one as one flesh till death do we part."

She's feeling up her breasts on the last part.

Jayne faintly laughs.

After a bit... He admits, "well... There is one thing."

Saffron pulls her hands away, leaving them crossed by her side.

More casually... Saffron adds, "sure. Go ahead."

Jayne admits, "honestly...I got hundreds millions. It's sure more'n enough to get the crew rich. I still don't like Simon or River much. But... Faint laugh. If we could get along with Mal's crew...we might impress Mal."

A little teary for a whole other reason... And, with a faint sniffle... Saffron nervously looks down.

Looking uneasy... Jayne asks, "Saffron?"

There's a brief nervous silence.

Saffron takes a breath. She wipes some teariness from her eyes.

Then... Saffron looks up.

Saffron concludes, "yeah: Maybe. But...two things with that." Jayne says, "okay."

Firmly... Saffron brings up, "I want a week for us together first. Tell Mal you need a vacation."

A little nervous... Jayne comments offhandedly, "that ain't gonna be hard."

Saffron wonders, "really?"

Jayne admits, "he thinks I lost the money. I... Faint sniffle. I ain't happy 'bout lying to 'im. But..."

Now he's finding it hard to look up.

With concern... Saffron asks, "what's wrong, Jayne?"

A little teary eyed... Jayne deeply sighs.

Looking up... Jayne explains, "we lost riches before. I ain't told Mal yet...'cause I don't want to real let him down again. I ain't want you to be neither."

With a very faint smile... Saffron very faintly laughs.

Saffron concludes, "so you got the money past Mal and came to me to get it good and secure."

A little awkward sounding... Jayne figures, "well...I respect Mal. But, I love you."

Saffron blushes a little.

And, she says, "I love you too gunny."

They faintly smile at each other.

Saffron starts to say, "and..." Jayne is quick to ask, "yah?"

With a raised eyebrow... Saffron wonders, "you really got it past Mal?"

With a faint smirk... Jayne remarks, "I took it out of your cunning."

With a creepy kind of smile... Saffron says, "ohh. That's sweet of you."

They smile wider at each other.

Solemnly all a sudden... Saffron checks, "still... You'll protect me from River?"

Confidently... Jayne insists, "damn right I will."

Saffron says, "thank you. That helps."

Jayne adds, "sure."

Not long after...

Mal stands at the open door to shuttle two.

Inside... Jayne is on the other side of the door, sitting at the controls.

They look somewhat nervously to each other.

Mal says, "have a good vacation, Jayne."

Jayne adds, "thanks."

Mal faintly nods. He figures, "sure. Still...keep watchin' yourself around Saffron."

Looking real annoyed... Jayne mutters lowly, "come on Mal! Wasn't we past this already?"

Mal figures, "we are. But, I know her: She could stab my crew in the back again if she get the chance."

With a serious tone... Jayne says, "she's my girlfriend, Mal. She sure as hell better not kill ya. But, I ain't gonna get worried. I trust her."

With a very faint smirk... Mal cuttingly remarks, "I was killed once, Jayne. She leave me corpsified, she got another grave comin'. And, it ain't mine."

Jayne nervously faintly laughs over that mental image.

Mal waves bye, still smirking.

Jayne just waves back some.

He closes the shuttle door.

And, lying by some of Jayne's guns is the closed big brown sack: Full of the 300 million credits.

Two stretches of duct tape are patched over the big hole in it.

Soon... Shuttle two is flying out into the black of space.

As late morning gives way to noon, in a cabin down by the canyons of Bellerophron...

The same one from before was taken. But, Saffron found one not far off that wasn't.

Jayne is sitting on the bed next to Saffron.

Her modified dedicated source box is on top of a set of dark reddish drawers by the bed.

It's patterned with blowing leaves gold to orange over near pitch black bluish, has a certain modified two way radio wired in from behind, and has red wire connectors all over the left side.

On the almost watery screen... A red grid covered schematic of a advanced modified dedicated source box is showing.

It's studded metal red. It has two black disc slot boxes built on the front, two bulky retractable antennas on top, a locker styled dial on the side for letters A-Z and a little red Set button to set backdoor passwords on and off Alliance security grids, a little red Wave Buzz button on the other side, and a little blue Go Dark button next to it.

Taking it all in...they both look stunned.

Jayne realizes, "that the source box they took off with?"

Saffron gets a little teary eyed. But...

Her eyes are still on the schematic. She doesn't seem to even hear him.

Saffron murmurs, "it's got to be planets away with a underground buyer. But...god! Zhè shì yīgè fēicháng hǎo de wánjiā zhìzào hézi! God, it'd be so good to take out The Alliance."

She keeps touching the almost watery screen, whirling the schematic around and around.

In a low tone... Jayne irritatedly says, "Saffron!"

Saffron pulls her hand away.

She slightly turns back to him.

Realizing turning the screen is not helping Jayne's vision any... She blushes a little.

Saffron says, "I'm sorry. I'll turn it off."

She uneasily sighs. She closes her eyes.

With her eyes closed though... She turns off her modified source box with the press of a side button.

Kind of coldly... Jayne just says, "thanks."

Saffron kind of annoyedly rolls her eyes.

Jayne rubs his eyes some, thinking it'd help him not be as dizzy.

Saffron moves over to his side.

And, with a forming faint smile... She offers, "what can I do to get you feeling better?"

Finding he can see okay now... Jayne stops rubbing his eyes.

The first thing he sees is Saffron's hand kind of slowly moving near between his legs.

Sounding better already... Jayne laughs.

He comments, "aw hell. You already know much how."

Saffron faintly laughs at that.

With a faint grin... She says, "good point."

She starts feeling him up near between there.

Jayne sexually groans some.

After a bit... Saffron wonders, "anything else you want?"

There's a brief awkward silence.

Jayne figures, "yeah. How 'bout you tell me 'bout your figuring with all the coin?"

More casually... Saffron figures, "all right. We're gonna have to lay low for the week. Then, The Alliance will be too slow to trace all the money back. I mean, long as no one on your crew is idiotic with the money. But..."

On the last part though, she looks nervous.

She moderately sighs.

Turning to her... Jayne asks, "what's wrong?"

Finding it hard to look up... Saffron concludes, "well... We have six more days to ourselves like we wanted. But, we can't have thrilling heroics while we're laying low. For the first time, I... I don't really know what to do. Moderate sigh. It's not you. But...yeah: I don't like the feeling."

Jayne puts a sympathetic hand on hers.

Then, with a faint laugh... Jayne surprisingly comments, "that ain't true."

With a forming heated glare... Saffron mutters under her breath, "what?!"

Jayne deeply sighs.

Before Saffron can move her hand away... He says, "sorry Saffron. I ain't mean you not being honest."

Saffron's expression lightens at that.

With her hand still on his... Saffron says solemnly, "thank you Jayne. Then...what were you gonna say?"

More casually... Jayne implies, "well... How 'bout "all them parts"?"

Saffron smiles wide.

A little embarrassed... She reflects, "you know, that's really good figuring. I didn't even remember 'till you brought it up."

Confidently... Jayne adds, "no problem."

And, kind of snarkily... Saffron figures, "now it isn't."

Over the next six days...

The next day... Saffron shows Jayne some more of her collection of 3D printer restored artifacts: Including but not only a antique lamp with a orange vase like base with a dark tree on it.

Jayne seems indifferent about it.

But, picking up on that... Saffron paints them in a more morbid light than they actually are.

Soon, Jayne is laughing and faintly grinning through it all.

Then... Jayne all too confidently shows off to her his collection of guns and grenades over the bed.

Saffron is sitting next to him.

And, in a creepy kind of way... She is silently faintly grinning as he does.

Saffron has her arms wrapped close to his side the whole time.

Over the next five days... Time flies by all the faster.

With her modified source box's touch screen responsive screen... Saffron is crudely drawing up a black and white sketchup of a Hanover Class salvager...carrying up a large bald and cross legged stone gray Buddhist statue out of a rich man's private temple with cable lines.

She faintly grins to herself.

With a lot of time and money on their hands... Jayne and Saffron take to the shooting galleries in the late hours: Over Bellerophron, on Persephone, and even down a winding corridor of Li Shen's bazaar.

They're faintly smiling to each other the whole time day after day.

And, even though they agreed to lay low... Saffron and Jayne both kind of forget that.

They go out to eat at some Chinese restaurants anyway.

Saffron looks completely unphased by Jayne's eating habits. They're both smiling as they ate day after day.

The thrill alone was too tempting for Saffron to turn down. But, they weren't caught either.

Then again... Saffron slipping in extra credits for the waiters might have had plenty to do with it.

On the sixth night...

Saffron is sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands down on the sheets behind her.

She's looking at Jayne, with her head titled right and up.

Jayne is sitting on a metal chair. It's pulled up just several inches away.

Saffron inquires, "now that you've seen all "my parts"... Who do you like to be on most?"

With a faint laugh... And, with a smirk... Jayne starts to go, "well..."

With a smile... She says, "I know you're thinking of picking Saffron. Faint laugh. I'm flattered you think so. But, that's really easy. So, you got to pick another card out of my hand of cards if you want to still ride with me."

Interestingly... Jayne just faintly laughs again.

He comments, "you know, that ain't hard none neither."

Sounding a little stunned... Saffron asks, "really?"

Without a second thought... Jayne figures, "I like Yolanda."

Saffron gives him a amused look.

She faintly laughs. She reflects, "so she's most like you. Yeah, I get that."

Jayne faintly laughs. He realizes, "yah. She is."

Saffron straightens her head more.

Solemnly... And, looking right at him... Saffron points out, "you know, she's more of a double crossing snake. But, money, shooting ranges, or good old jewelry always gets her to stay. You could just go in and pick out of my money, and she wouldn't really know. So, long as you don't let her cross you, she'll be good for you."

With a kind of amused look... Jayne says, "all right."

With a faint grin... Saffron figures, "good."

She then asks, "and, who do you like to be on least?"

Jayne mutters annoyedly, "Bridget. Kept sayin' to shave the stubble and seemin' she'd hurl."

Saffron reflects offhandedly, "well, yeah: She doesn't like beards or pounds of muscle flesh like I do. But, you don't have to keep seeing her."

Jayne says, "thanks Saffron." Saffron adds, "you're welcome."

After a bit... Saffron starts to wonder, "any other part of me you don't want to...?"

Jayne faintly shrugs. He figures, "all them other parts are okay. I just don't care much for Bridget."

Saffron blushes.

With a wide grin... She admits, "ohh. I was thinking you wouldn't care for more of my parts. But, I'm so glad you love me that much."

Jayne confidently says, "damn right I am."

Saffron faintly laughs. She figures, "well, before you get on top of me tonight..."

A little confused now... Jayne wonders, "yah?"

Saffron explains, "I got a surprise for you. I was going to give it to you soon as you came back. But, then we got that week to ourselves. So, I wanted to save it last for you."

Getting curious... Jayne asks, "what did you got for me?"

Saffron gets up from the bed.

She goes up to the set of drawers.

From one of the drawers... She pulls out a flat box in near white bluish wrapping paper.

Jayne looks even more confused.

Saffron assuringly says, "oh, I'm sure you'll like what I got. Go ahead and open it."

She hands him the box.

Then, she lies down on the bed.

Jayne tears off the wrapping paper.

He tears the top of the box off.

And, inside the box...is a folded T-shirt with a certain golden blond pin up girl before a soda parlor like rainbow.

He looks real stunned.

He takes it out to check it. But, it feels and looks like the real thing.

Finding it a little harder to even find words... Jayne wonders, "how did...? How in hell did you got it? I thought it were ruttin' burned off on that damn Tohoku ship."

Getting more amused... Saffron faintly laughs.

Saffron explains, "yeah, it got burned off. But, I remembered well what was on it. I had a guy get into a 3D printer terminal. I got a tan shirt to run it through easy. Is it just as good?"

With a grin... Jayne says, "how could I not see it good? You remade it on account of me."

Saffron widely smiles with closed lips.

Jayne puts the restored T-shirt on the chair.

He hugs her close over the bed. Saffron hugs him back.

And, over his shoulder... Saffron says, "you're welcome gunny."

Early the next morning...

Over the Cortex... Mal asks, "you been holding out on me, Jayne?"

Sounding a little tired... Jayne says, "I ain't sure what you talkin' about Mal."

On Mal's end... He is sitting on a comfy smallish circular red lounge couch with his feet up.

Mal has a slightly amused look on his face. Hints of a dark red wall are behind him.

On Jayne's end... He and Saffron are still lying in bed under the sheets.

Their favorite guns are sticking out from messed up corners of the sheets.

But, they both have some bags under their eyes. It's barely even dawn.

Saffron's modified dedicated source box is on the set of drawers. The almost watery screen is facing them.

Mal figures, "oh, I think you do. You sudden got rich and didn't think to tell me."

Jayne figures, "well, I were thinking of telling ya soon. But..."

With a amused look... Saffron faintly grins.

Briefly turning to him... Saffron says, "please. He's quite a man himself. He can take it."

She feels up his arm some from under the sheets as she does.

Mal casually presses, "take what?"

Jayne moderately sighs.

After a bit... He explains, "we lost riches before Mal. I figured we sat on it a week, it sure it won't go away. Then, I'd give a hell of lot for you and your crew."

Mal faintly chuckles over that.

With some mixed feelings... He comments, "well, I do kind of appreciate that. But, I still don't take really well to going behind my back with Saffron."

With a faint smile... Saffron comments back, "well, if you're going to insist on crediting me..."

Mal looks a little stunned by how quickly she said it. Jayne looks slightly annoyed.

Suddenly... Over the Cortex... Badger is seen sitting next to Mal.

Badger is wearing his bowler hat.

With a unsettlingly firm smile... Badger brings up, "well, you had yourselves some nights on the town. From what I hear, whole underground's talking 'bout it."

Saffron and Jayne look like they just got caught with their pants down. Well...more so really.

After a bit... Badger introduces himself, "hello luv."

Innocent sounding... Saffron wonders, "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

Badger faintly laughs. He recalls, "no. That won't fly. I've seen your face, see. You still owe me fifty credits."

Mal lightly remarks, "why? You married her too?"

With a slight glare... Badger concludes, "bloody hell no. We had a bet of who could drink who under the table. She lost. Gorram, I still couldn't catch her. But, she gone and ducked out hiccupping with a random skinny man soon as I knew she'd gotten in my pockets."

Looking real amused now... Mal chuckles.

Jayne is bent over, laughing hard.

Saffron glares warningly at him.

Jayne nervously gulps. He stops laughing.

Then... Saffron looks incredulous at the almost watery screen.

Sounding better already... Saffron goes, "you believe this guy, Mal? Laugh. He was drunk that night."

All too casually... Jayne concludes, "well, if he were drunk..."

Saffron smiles.

Badger bristles at this.

Determinedly... Mal presses, "Saffron?"

Saffron is blushing.

With a sigh... Saffron admits, "fine. I did. But, you can't make me."

Mal strangely figures, "hm. Okay."

At the same time... Saffron and Badger ask uneasily, "what?"

With a cold look all a sudden... Mal suggests, "I could send a wave to Radiant: Tell her of some meat raffles and some jobs she likely don't know of."

Looking real nervous... Jayne argues, "oh come on, Mal: Don't bring my mother in this!"

Mal comments, "well, maybe you should've thought of that before sticking with Saffron."

A little teary eyed all a sudden... Saffron goes, "augh!"

Frustratedly... She says, "all right! You'll have yourself the money. God!"

With his returning unsettling smile... Badger rubs it in, "thank you luv. And, be sure you don't flash your ass 'round the bar when you drop it off."

With a sharp glare... Saffron snarkily comments, "I could drop you on yours, you HOE-tze duh PEE-goo! Although, if I were to, that'd be bad for Mal and his business. So, maybe not."

Jayne and Mal can't help but faintly smirk. Badger just shakes his head.

Not long after that...

Badger cuts off the private line.

Then... Badger fully realizes out loud, "wait. Those two have gotten cozy now?"

Mal says, "they've been that way two months now. Don't like thinkin' on it much myself."

Seeming a little bristled still... Badger figures, "right."

Then... He suddenly faintly smiles.

Badger concludes, "still...there's someone I keep thinking of from the old homestead. I can make it worth your while."

Thinking back to when River met Badger from what Zoe told him... Mal faintly laughs.

Mal brings up, "I know she'd be nothing but mighty trouble for you, Badger. She ain't even interested. Best to let it stay that way."

Badger kind of casually figures, "yeah. Bad for business. But, love can be."

Solemnly... Mal reflects, "yeah. 'cept I'm thinking on complications."

Badger points out, "well, that be one." Mal adds, "yep."

Kind of suspicious... Badger brings up, "and you're not going to try taking over my business with your newfound riches?"

With no hidden contempt... Mal comments, "believe me Badger: I wouldn't dream of it."

He starts to walk away.

All too casually... Badger suggests, "then maybe we could look into more business. I could use another rich man like you to branch out me roots off Persephone."

At the sliding door doorway... Mal turns back to him.

With a faint smile... He adds, "maybe."

Then, he keeps walking away.

Mal looks kind of more nervous now. But, he's not thinking of just Badger.

* * *

 _Act II_

That night, on Serenity...

Mal is standing in the cockpit by himself.

He's in his tan brown undershirt under his trouser straps.

With a faint knowing smile... He touches the side of the cockpit.

Thinking back to singlehandedly patching up Serenity when they were out of gas... He heavily sighs.

He just keeps standing there like that for a while.

Not long after, in the galley...

Nearly everyone on the crew is talking and eating at the table.

Jayne's seat is left empty though. He's staying with Saffron at least another night to catch up on sleep.

Zoe is in her dark blue buttoned T-shirt. Kaylee is in a dark green open jacket over a pink top with seashells.

Simon is wearing a gray long sleeved sweatshirt. River is in a low cut dark purple dress.

Inara is in a sleeveless light purple dress, with gold lining with Aztec symbols and a gold wind charms like underside to it.

Book considers, "you know, this might seem odd. But... I'm thinking of having two personal Companions and opening a casino on one of the border planets, stocking up on guns and smoking in my last days before I see Hell."

Everyone looks stunned. Simon and Inara almost spill their glasses.

River and Kaylee laugh hard. They're both struggling to catch their breath.

After a bit... And, looking real amused... Kaylee asks, "really Shepherd?"

With a smile... Book admits, "not really. Reckon I'd give all my millions to abbeys and towns that it will help."

Everyone laughs over the realization.

Mal then solemnly figures, "yeah. That's well and good of you, Shepherd."

Book solemnly adds, "thank you."

Mal takes a spoonful of his protein pack mix. He's mostly done though.

With a faint smile... Wash concludes, "yeah. That's good. But, here's my vision for my cut: Shower free."

A little rattled... Kaylee comments, "ugh. Somebody's gotta have a fantasy 'bout being filthy rich don't require a shower: Even when it appropriate."

Simon, Inara, Zoe, and Mal faintly smile.

Then... Kaylee puts down the spoon by her protein pack mix.

Kaylee sighs heavily. She solemnly admits, "I miss Jayne."

Wash cuttingly remarks, "I don't care if they can buy a whole Sunner and name it after me. No money in the Verse can get me to miss him or his Missus hell humper much."

Getting teary eyed... Kaylee kind of loudly says, "Wash!"

Things got very awkwardly silent.

River can't help but smirk at Wash's remark.

But, from reading Kaylee's very mixed feelings... She just as quickly gets teary eyed.

Wash tensely asks, "what? Am I the only one who remembers Saffron twice tried to kill Mal?!"

With a comforting hand on his... Zoe kind of assures him, "no honey."

With some mixed feelings... Mal cuts in, "Wash. You think I ain't rememberin' our own jobs?"

Wash realizes awkwardly, "ohh yeah. Sorry Mal."

Kaylee very nervously looks down.

Noticing her looking down... Inara is getting teary eyed.

Changing the subject... River kind of cryptically says, "it'd be bringing a radiant storm if he came now. Still looking to captain. Ship in a bottle. Swish."

Book very faintly smiles to himself.

Zoe very faintly smiles. She adds, "and us telling him he tried and failed awful miserable."

Wash agrees, "yeah. It would be ugly if he were here now."

Everyone very faintly smiles in acknowledgement.

Kaylee looks up.

Sounding a little better... Kaylee figures, "yeah. Maybe River's right."

Simon faintly smiles. He adds, "yeah. She usually is."

River beams.

The teariness in River's and Kaylee's eyes start to dry up.

Inara realizes, "wait. Radiant? That's his mother's name."

River faintly nods.

She repeats some, "radiant storm."

Turning to Wash... Zoe comments, "I don't miss you not being filthy though. I already have problems with it."

Wash lightly argues, "oh come on. There's vacations. We got spas."

With a faint smile... Zoe concludes, "still not going out there if you ain't not filthy."

Most all of them laugh.

The teariness in Inara's eyes starts drying up.

Inara wonders, "do you want to go next, Mal? We've yet to hear yours."

Mal faintly chuckles.

Kind of cryptic... Mal highlights, "me? No. There's certain...sexual oddities to my fantasy I don't think I should say at this table. Might lose that one last shred of respect y'all were clinging to."

Looking a little amused... Inara wonders, "what about after Shepherd goes to bed?"

With a faint smile... Mal adds, "mighty temptin' of..."

He stops himself there.

Before anyone can ask him about it... Mal gets up.

Kind of nervous... Mal figures, "but...I think I ought to turn in 'fore I land off course."

Disappointed sounding... Inara wonders, "you sure, Mal?"

Mal is walking out to the hall.

Briefly turning back... Mal just says, "yeah. Could use some sleep."

He keeps walking to his bunk. But, he doesn't seem physically tired.

Kaylee moderately sighs. She thinks out loud, "sometimes I can't believe the captain. We're about to go on vacation, and he still don't want to relax."

Kind of cryptically... Inara solemnly implies, "no. I think he wants to. But, he's still out in Serenity Valley."

There's a nervous silence in the room.

Trying to faintly smile... Kaylee concludes, "well, then here's hoping he has a good trip back."

Close to two weeks later...

Kind of out in the black... Wash has got a custom made Floating World Class luxury cruiser called the Stegohino.

It's like the top of a technologically advanced castle keep on thrusters: With shiny gray on top and tan blue below. But, like other Floating World Class luxury cruisers, it has dining and gambling salons, 43 double cabins, 3 V.I.P. suites, entertainment facilities, and Companion services.

He's piloting between a moon and a golden orb styled space bazaar.

Wash is in a dark blue long sleeved buttoned shirt, white gloves, and a dark brown blocky flight harness. Zoe is in the co-pilot seat. She's wearing a long sleeved dark blue dress with a light blue gown for the underside.

They faintly smile to each other as Wash keeps piloting.

Meanwhile... Book has been going from abbey to abbey cross the Verse to spread the word of God.

Inara has donated most of her millions to most of the same towns Book did.

They've got enough credits to patch up anything that needs patching: So long as walls don't crumple again soon.

The Alliance government expressed sincere gratitude. Townsfolk on border planets suspiciously thanked them.

Some of Inara's millions went to the Guild. But, it wasn't long before the Guild Council of Elders took notice.

They even offered Inara early candidacy.

She's told them her riches came from a rich client and they didn't question it much. But, she still hasn't gotten back to them about a answer about taking them up on their offer.

She's been seeing higher pay clients on the Core Planets because she's been getting a lot of requests from them over the Cortex: More so than usual.

But, Inara is still finding time to enjoy herself.

Particularly these days, she's been staying at a resort planet called Pelorum: With high rocky mountains with shiny sand beaches, and sparkly mostly white observatory styled resorts with aqua blue windows.

Meanwhile... Mal's been like a faded shadow.

No one's seen him or his ship Serenity anywhere. Even Zoe is beginning to worry.

Meanwhile... Simon and River got a mostly light blue Skyplex styled medical research station, built near orbit of Osiris.

Simon is in a white lab coat. River keeps adding recently bought shiny dresses to her collection of dresses to cut up and sew differently: In dress collages of purple, very light green and yellow, and red.

To Simon's slight amusement and slight frustration... River has taken up DNA, biology, and cerebral testing instead of being a doctor like he was hoping she'd be.

Simon is working busily on curing epidplasa, 26th century cancer epidemics, and anything else he can think of.

To make sure The Alliance doesn't question them... Saffron may have arranged the fake Ident cards and clearances with her questionable connections.

But, with not wanting to risk being caught by The Alliance as fugitives, it's the next best thing to Simon and River: Cause they have it all to themselves.

They don't seem to admit it out loud.

But, questionable connections aside, they both know they're really enjoying their newfound freedom.

Meanwhile... Kaylee has started up a two level garage shop for ship design and restoration on Persephone.

It's in a town square with tan blue warehouse styled shops, dirt paths, and worn out tents.

It's called Frye Airworks. It's got a big red neon sign on top, shiny gray locking clamps on the top corners just cause they seemed shiny, and little yellow lights against jet black corner beams.

It's been only up for a week. But, captains of large Firefly Series 4 ships and smaller rusty old ships have been coming in like bumblebees to a hive.

Kaylee is planning to make a sister Frye Airworks back on her homeworld for her and her dad to run. But, only if the first Frye Airworks works out.

She has several accountants and a few ship detailers. But, her mechanic assistant is Saffron.

Saffron has seemed to take Kaylee's news for her well.

In lubricant stained matching gray kind of unzipped jumpsuits... They've been working and hanging out a lot.

G-lines, magnetic grappler launchers, compressor coils... They were fixed up in a hour for each ship: Not the few hours it'd usually take for a crew working on one.

Kaylee kept talking to the engines and near draping herself over their sides like a doting mother.

On the first day... Saffron just couldn't stop laughing long.

Near the end of that day... Kaylee just had to ask her, "so what's so damn funny?"

She was leaning against the tan grey lined mechanical ship parts styled light blue and brown wall.

Lightly... Saffron answered, "oh, I'm sorry. I just... Faint laugh. There ain't a thing wrong with good kink. Hell, I've seen a lot of 'em. I just never really got to see that side to you. I wasn't ready at first to see you like that...or "that attached" to machines."

Kaylee laughed hard some. She brought up, "Saffron...I ain't really "that attached". I just talk to them: To ships. But...I do really like some kink."

Kaylee faintly smiled awkwardly. Saffron grinned like a peeping schoolgirl.

Over the next several days... They were between hours talking about previous guys, flirting like there were men behind unseen cameras, and draping themselves over the engines.

One day, they were even play fighting with lubricant.

Today though... They found there weren't much previous guys left to want to talk about.

Kaylee tells her about her mostly uneventful but good times on her homeworld.

Kaylee then asks, "so... Any good stories from your world? I mean, if it ain't too not appropriate to ask."

Thinking back to her hometown on Di Yu... Saffron looks really nervous.

Teary eyed... And, solemnly... Saffron says, "Kaylee... I honestly am tempted to tell you. But...maybe one day."

A little teary eyed herself in reaction... Kaylee faintly nods.

She says, "okay. You sure you're okay though?"

Saffron just says, "I'm fine, thank you. I've been through worse."

Then, they both get back to working on some Cortex screens.

Meanwhile, on a resort on Pelorum...

The White Sun is setting. The sky is clear with fair breezes.

The balconies have circular thin metallic gold railing.

Out on one balcony... Mal is kind of hunched over over the railing.

He's kind of out of breath.

His hands are scraped and real sore. He's kind of sweaty.

He's looking down from high up at the rocky mountainside.

The waves crash on the sandy shore below. Serenity is down there, far enough away from the waves.

Annoyedly... A familiar voice says, "Mal. You could've knocked before barging in."

Mal comments, "only because I climbed on up."

Inara faintly chuckles. She rolls her eyes kind of annoyedly.

She's in a mostly bright red dress: With bronze waves around the skirt, and flowery light blue arm warmers for sleeves. She's also wearing a pair of gold leaf spade shaped earrings with little greenish gray orbs in them.

With a nervous sigh... She walks over to him.

With hints of concern... Inara inquires, "you want to tell me why you went to all this trouble just to talk to me? Or, is that also something you can't tell me now?"

Mal turns to her.

More distant sounding... Mal mostly assures, "no. That ain't that complicated like."

He then turns back to look over the railing.

Inara nervously asks, "then what is it, Mal?"

Mal heavily sighs.

There's a brief nervous silence.

Mal reflects, "I were wishing there'd be a time when Serenity wouldn't be just barely holding. I wanted my crew to be happy, Inara. Now the whole damn crew is happy. And I... Heavy sigh. I still ain't know what to do with my damn riches. You might."

Inara puts a sympathetic hand on his.

She turns to him.

Almost beamingly... Inara comments, "you mean other than giving most of it away like I already have with my share? I'm sorry Mal. I'm flattered you still asked me. But, I think you already knew what answer you'd get from me."

Mal faintly chuckles at that. He realizes, "yeah. Reckon I did now."

After a bit though... He says more uncomfortably, "but, that ain't all."

A little teary eyed... Inara concludes, "of course it's not. You fought in the Unification War. That kind of pain is never easy to let go, Mal."

A little teary eyed himself... Mal uncomfortably starts to say, "yeah. But..."

In concern... Inara is quick to ask, "what?"

Mal pulls his hand away.

He turns back out toward the mountainside below.

Very uncomfortably... Mal admits, "I've been out takin' in the sights, lookin' at local color just goin' on with their days. It weren't always such. Border planet, Central planet...none 'cept Verbena ain't changed much. But, I real now don't like the feelin' of the landscape."

There's a really uncomfortable silence.

Nervously and awkwardly... Inara starts to say, "Mal..."

Mal turns completely around to face her.

With a very faint smirk... Mal wonders, "what? Is this a feeling of yours now?"

Inara nervously admits, "not exactly only a feeling. Deep sigh. Mal...there's something I feel I should tell you."

Trying to sound causal in front of her... Mal just says, "okay."

Soon... They're walking together through the rustic looking mostly gray door behind them.

Through it is Inara's guest suite.

As day has mostly given way to night, back on Persephone...

Kaylee and Saffron are closing shop.

On a construction site styled panel with gray in the center... Kaylee presses a light yellow button.

The garage doors come down with a rattle and clacking of chains. Then, a loud snap.

Suddenly... Kaylee steps back.

She looks startled.

She puts a hand over her heart.

Her heart is pounding. But, her pulses are just as quickly calming down.

She sees Saffron's arm draped over the button panel.

She moves in closer, pressing her lips together more as she does.

But, just as quickly... She moves back.

She's blushing, a little teary eyed, and nervously biting her lip all at once.

Completely unsure... Kaylee asks, "Saffron? Are you okay?"

Saffron sniffles a little.

After a bit... She nervously explains, "I'm really sorry. I know you said no."

Kaylee looks fairly stunned.

Then... She says, "hmm."

With some mixed feelings... Kaylee fully realizes, "you got a damn lot of feelings all bottled up."

Saffron figures, "so Jayne has told me. Not the bottled up part. But...yeah."

She nervously keeps standing there.

She's feeling up her own arms like crazy: Almost as if a autumn breeze has just come in.

Solemnly... Kaylee wonders, "Saffron, I'm wonderin'. Do you have friends: 'side from me and Jayne?"

When she hears that... Saffron stops feeling up her own arms.

Teary eyed still... Saffron admits, "not really. Having to go on the run when I were young didn't leave much chance to have friends. When I'm not playing a part, I... Hard sniffle. It's really hard: Not trying to play with or play someone."

Kaylee gets teary eyed.

Somberly... Kaylee says, "oh my god. I'm sorry. I didn't..."

She hugs her close. Saffron hugs her back.

Some tears fall from their faces. Some faint sniffles.

Over her shoulder... Saffron insists solemnly, "there's no way you could've known Kaylee. But..."

They then pull away.

The teariness in their eyes start to dry up some.

Kaylee asks, "what are you lookin' to say, sweetie?"

Saffron very faintly laughs at the question.

With a very faint smile... Saffron concludes, "being just friends is okay. But, you got to keep reminding me till I can break the habit 'round you. I hope that's okay."

With a smile... Kaylee lightly says, "well...you're doing well so far. I ain't that worried."

Sounding a little better... Saffron says, "thank you Kaylee. Knowing that helps."

Kaylee adds, "you're welcome."

That night...

Blurred images of a certain few days on Sihnon creep in Inara's mind.

The Serra house's door opening in a fog. Almost mechanical laughter and claps strangely echo from fiberglass.

Remembering whirling ambulance sirens. Her family bent over Isara's dead body.

Remembering Mitchell coughing violently against the fiberglass shards. Ibarra arrested and then released after leading The Alliance to Mitchell's arrest.

Fiberglass shattering, loud choos...and more screams. Praying years later before Isara's coffin.

And, in a cutaway... Inara is sitting on the green tinted blue couch in her suite...breaking down crying before Mal.

Inara has just told him her whole story.

Mal very nervously gulps: Being all too reminded of his own nightmares.

He holds her close with a comforting arm.

He tries real hard to put up a brave face in front of her. But, silent tear after silent tear still escapes from his face.

They stay there like that through the night: Silent understanding, sobs...and thinking of nothing else but their stories.

Mal still hasn't told her his.

But, in his mind... The nightmare mental image of Inara and Nandi shot dead creeps back in.

* * *

 _Act III_

The next day...

Jayne and Saffron had invited the rest of the crew to a little shindig at their residential suite on Persephone.

At first, only Kaylee and Mal were going to go.

Then, Kaylee somewhat nervously reminded the crew that she'd straighten out Jayne if necessary.

And, well... Almost everyone showed up.

River got a little chuckle out of Kaylee's reminder.

But, she's staying on her and Simon's medical research station. So, of course, Simon is staying with her to watch over her.

The residential suite is in a polygon tower.

Concrete chalky blue corner planks and many tall fiberglass windows go up all twenty floors.

A mostly black docking pad for ships is on the very top. Four mine shaft styled gray elevators can go up there.

Over the rustic dark red lined snow white and green fiberglass wall sections... There's simple looking dark green trees, winter trees with no leaves, strawberry bushes, solid red devils with shadow guns that look like Vera, and solid white angels with shadow guns that also look like Vera.

Some wolf skins cover the living room floor. A black wood table with metallic gray table legs is in the center.

Kaylee is wearing a dark purple and pink flowery long sleeved shirt under her dark green vest.

Saffron is wearing her near white bluish pair of five inch high heels and her near white bluish leather jacket. Under her jacket is a green T-shirt...with a picture of orange and dripping dark red liquid leaves swirling around hints of naked bodies reaching for each other.

Jayne is wearing his shirt with the picture of a golden blond pin up girl before a soda parlor like rainbow.

Mal, Inara, and Wash are at the table, seeming like they're okay. But, the great nervousness in their eyes is easy to tell.

Zoe and Book just seem stoic. But, Zoe has a hand near her custom made rifle on her belt.

Trying not to think about animals skins or the swirled reddish leaves on Saffron's T-shirt... Kaylee just very faintly smiles.

But, after Saffron came back from the bedroom... Jayne's wide grin quickly changes to getting quite confused.

Saffron comes with metal cups of tea, cooked Zhajiangmian, Baozi, and birdsnest. But, that's not all she came back with.

She's now wearing a black maid dress and a white bonnet. But, she's still wearing high heels.

She's offering reheats, shiny clean knives and forks...even extra black napkins for the others to tuck under their own chins.

Looking real amused now... Wash says, "quaint."

He examines the extra black napkin by him. Then, he tucks it under his chin.

Zoe smirks, looking amused herself.

Inara chuckles hard.

Book politely says, "thank you Saffron."

Kaylee smiles wide. She says, "well thank you. That's so sweet of you."

With a smile... Saffron politely adds, "you're welcome."

Kaylee and Book take extra black napkins. They tuck them under their chins.

Just catching her breath... Inara brings up, "okay Mal."

Sounding clueless... Mal asks, "what?"

Inara bluntly asks, "how much did you pay her?"

Zoe and Wash faintly laugh. Kaylee looks amused and stunned all at once.

A little stunned... Jayne asks, "what the ruttin' hell, Mal?"

Mal faintly chuckles. He tries to insist, "you were lookin' to have her impress me. But, that's crazy talk Jayne. Why would I? You should have the credit."

With a smirk... Jayne asks, "really?"

With a doubtful look... Zoe points out, "it ain't that, sir."

Soon as he hears that... Jayne starts to glare.

He's about to say something.

But, over his shoulder... Saffron whispers, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you to impress him. I'll make it up to you with you on me wherever you want in the Verse. Please."

Jayne kind of reluctantly doesn't say much. But, he very faintly smirks.

Innocent sounding... Saffron asks outright, "really Malcolm? Because I really want that 5 million you promised for me playing the part of a maid. And, if you don't get it to me..."

She faintly laughs.

With a kind of creepy grin... Saffron then remarks, "well, I got my ways with men. You of all captains know that."

Mal looks real awkward and bristled. His face even has hints of red.

Everyone else is laughing.

Kaylee, Zoe, and Jayne are laughing harder.

Soon, they're struggling to catch their breath.

After a bit though... Mal very faintly chuckles himself over it all.

As noon is giving way to the afternoon...

Inara has just recently gotten out of the spa. She's still wrapped in near whitish blue towels.

She hurries to her suite.

She's thinking to herself:

 _Gos se. I'm late for a client! How long did I stay in the water?_

She's a little out of breath. But, she easily closes the door behind her.

She hurries for the bathroom to freshen up and dry off some more.

Sounding kind of amused... Kaylee says, "Inara..."

From the bathroom... Inara calls back, "sorry, mei-mei. Not now! My next client is any minute, and..."

Not far from the left open bathroom door... Kaylee brings up, "is her name Jewel Mechan?"

Inara puts down her makeup by the whitish tan sink.

She turns back to her.

She looks a little taken aback by Kaylee.

She's in a dark green sleeveless silk dress and flowery blue arm warmers. She has on strawberry red lipstick.

She's also looking amused, trying to keep herself from laughing at Inara's seriousness.

Inara concludes kind of nervously, "yes. Why do you...?"

Kaylee can't help but laugh some.

She reveals, "Inara... I'm Jewel."

Inara looks incredulous.

Getting teary eyed... Inara lowly exclaims, "what?!"

Inara starts to storm off for her bedroom.

Getting teary eyed herself... Kaylee says, "oh my god. I'm sorry Inara. Faint sniffle. It ain't what you're thinkin' at all."

With her hand on the bedroom door... Inara pauses.

Inara slowly turns back to her.

Very nervously... Inara asks, "you mean...you really weren't looking to take to bed with me?"

Kaylee is finding it hard to look up. She faintly sniffles.

Awkwardly... Kaylee explains fully, "no: I want to make love with Simon. Faint sniffle. We've been rich and happy and all. So, I thought I could soon tell him how I really feel. But, I got to be taught how to make love proper to be sure it goes well with me and him. I didn't want him to know. So...I paid a few million advanced to see you."

There's a very awkward silence.

Some held back tears escape from her face. But, she sighs with mixed relief.

Somberly and shakily... Inara concludes, "well, you could've at least told me. Faint sniffle. You really scared me Kaylee."

Looking right at her... Kaylee somberly murmurs, "I'm really sorry. I ain't meant to..."

Overcome by her mixed feelings... Kaylee starts to cry.

Inara hugs her close.

In her ear... She whispers, "shh. It's okay, mei-mei. It's okay."

They stand there like that for who knows how long.

When they pull away... Inara interestingly faintly chuckles.

The teariness in their eyes start to dry up.

Sounding a little better... Kaylee wonders, "well, you look better already. What's funny?"

With lingering mixed feelings... Inara concludes, "it's very strange. Faint laugh. I don't really mind. We're good friends. But... I didn't even become High Priestess. But, you came to me anyway to show you how to be a personal Companion."

Assuringly... Kaylee insists, "please don't be so damn hard on yourself. I want you to help me Inara."

Sounding a little better... Inara concludes, "okay. I'll try to teach you well."

Kaylee says, "thank you." Inara adds, "you're welcome."

After a bit... Inara deduces, "our first lesson is relaxation: About helping him get in the mood."

She offers a hand to Kaylee. Kaylee takes her hand.

Inara leads her to the couch.

They sit down together.

Kind of nervously... Kaylee asks, "and if he ain't feeling like it?"

With a faint smile... Inara concludes, "then respect how he's feeling. But, relaxation and meditation is always good for your karma and spirit."

Kaylee freely admits, "well...I don't meditate. I ain't real sure of karma. But, relaxing is good."

With a comforting hand on hers... Inara says assuringly, "that's okay. I'm not judging you."

Kaylee faintly nods.

They smile to each other.

Meanwhile, in a Alliance military facility...

It's dimly lit. The walls are mostly mucky clay looking.

A man is drying his wet hands in a white towel before a metal sink. The towel and sink rim are stained in dark red liquid.

He has a gray mustache, gray sideburns below his tan gray cap, and a scar under his left eye.

He has noticeable veins along his hands. His arms are covered by a Alliance uniform.

From the other side of the closed bathroom door... A Alliance officer starts to say, "sir..."

In the bathroom... The Alliance Colonel answers, "yes?"

The Alliance officer reports, "we've identified multiple faces on the face recognition cross trace scans."

With a kind of creepy faint grin... The Alliance Colonel answers, "I'll be right out lieutenant."

He drops the towel into a pulled out metal trash chute.

He then walks out the door, closing it behind him.

Like clockwork, a Alliance janitor comes to clean up the sink.

Soon, the Alliance Colonel and the lieutenant are in the security room.

The Alliance Colonel is still faintly grinning.

Over a big tan brown rimmed Cortex screen... Mal, Zoe, Simon, River, Inara, Jayne, and Saffron's faces are seen.

In black and white... Alliance security camera footage from government offices and private contractors is seen showing most of them in Persephone in recent days.

Alliance security footage around Inara's suite on Pelorum is also seen. But, no security footage is seen on River or Simon.

The Alliance Colonel thinks back to interrogating two captives: Bracken and his guy.

In a brief cutaway... He sees them handcuffed to wood chairs: Blindfolded with white handkerchiefs, coughing violently.

They have dark red liquid dripping from their mouths.

Some pulled out dark red liquid covered teeth are on the floor. So is the advanced modified Source Box...with a clear shot right through its operating system.

Presently... The Alliance Colonel orders, "issue arrests for every one of them."

Uncomfortably... The Alliance lieutenant argues, "but sir, Inara is a high standing..."

Coldly... The Alliance Colonel shoots back, "we're not locking her up. Let the Guild bail her out. But, The Alliance needs evidence to close the books on all these cases. I think I can get her to be more cooperative."

Still uncomfortably... The Alliance lieutenant says, "yes sir."

He walks out of the security room.

Soon as the lieutenant is out of the room... The Alliance Colonel turns to one of the Alliance radio operators in the room.

He orders, "bring the Alliance All Terrain Military Skiffs online. We're going to need them."

Uncomfortably... The Alliance radio operator asks, "you sure, sir? They aren't scheduled to be tested until tomorrow."

Glaringly... The Alliance Colonel insists, "I'm not letting these fugitives get away. The Alliance will understand that."

Not so uncomfortably now... The Alliance radio operator just says, "yes sir."

A large garage door is opening on the premises.

And, as the light inside begins slowly coming into the garage... Twin red camera eyes lined with purplish indicator lights and faint coal red metal studded ceramic plates start to electronically whirl on their 3-axis gimbals.

Meanwhile, off by the Eavesdown Docks...

Book is looking nervously around the shipment crates.

He's drawn out his long tipped gun. But, he's keeping it low.

Suddenly... By a red shipment crate... He sees Saffron standing in front of him.

She's back to wearing her near white bluish leather jacket and green T-shirt with leaves and naked bodies on it.

She's drawn out her favorite handgun. And, she's aiming it right for him.

Somewhat sternly... Book inquires, "is this really necessary, Saphra?"

Teary eyed... Saffron glares warningly at him.

Saffron questions back, "maybe. I got to ask you: What side are you really on, Derrial?"

Meanwhile, in Inara's suite on Pelorum...

There's a loud knock on the door.

Behind the closed bathroom door, Inara is on the toilet.

Kaylee calls out, "I'll get it!"

She fast walks over to the door to answer it.

She opens the door.

Wide eyed and teary eyed... She gasps.

Simon is hunched over, barely holding onto the doorway.

He's heavily bruised in his side. He's breathing heavily through his nose, trying not to cough.

He can't hold back the urge anymore.

He coughs up a splatter of dark red liquid by Kaylee's bare feet.

Kaylee cries out, "Simon!"

Simon almost falls to the floor. But, Kaylee kind of catches him.

She's sitting on the floor, holding up his upper body some over her lap.

She's trying hard to not break down crying right now. But, silent tears still fall from her face.

Simon is starting to lose consciousness. His vision is getting more blurry by the minute.

Simon murmurs, "Jubal. Violent cough! He's taken..."

He falls unconscious.

Hurried footsteps are heard near.

Very nervously... Kaylee asks, "Simon?"

No answer. Just fainter and fainter breathing.

Kaylee cries out, "Simon! ! !"


	12. S2, Ep 2: Better Days, Part 2

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Better Days, Part 2:

 _Act IV_

Roughly a hour later...

Simon wakes up...in a dark red soaked body cast.

Medical tubes are in his chest. He's lying in a wheeled gray Alliance medical bed.

His vision is still blurry some. But...something about the near dark red curtains seems very familiar.

Simon very faintly smiles. He says, "hey."

Kaylee is standing there, with a sympathetic hand on his.

Kaylee widely smiles. She says, "hey yourself. You scared us. But, you're okay now."

Kaylee's eye makeup is all messy from tears from earlier. But, neither of them seem to care.

Simon says, "thank you."

Kaylee admits awkwardly, "well...Inara did most of the work. But, I helped steady you."

Simon awkwardly laughs a little. Kaylee laughs cheerfully some.

Simon suddenly realizes, "this is Inara's shuttle."

Kaylee brings up, "yeah. Inara told them about Jubal kidnapping River, and that that's all she knew. She said she'd bring you in soon as you're awake, and they..."

Glaringly... Simon asks, "what?"

Trying to be assuring... Kaylee tells him, "Simon! Please: Don't worry on it. She ain't real planning to turn you over. It were just buying time to escape and get in touch with everyone to look for River. That's all it were."

Kaylee puts up her hands as she says it.

Simon breathes a nervous sigh of relief.

Suddenly solemnly... He brings up, "okay. That's good. But...River isn't. How can I be okay when she isn't?"

Thinking back to Jubal... A faint tear falls from Kaylee's face.

Kaylee sighs nervously. She insists though, "the captain will find her Simon. We'll find her."

Nervously... Simon concludes, "I hope we can."

Just then... Inara nervously says, "we don't have to wait long. He just left us a message of where to go."

She's just pulled away some of the curtains around her Cortex screen.

Before Simon can ask... Kaylee asks, "where is River?"

All of a sudden...Inara nervously sighs.

With concern... Kaylee asks, "Inara? What's wrong?"

A faintly teary eyed Inara finds it hard to face her. But, she does so anyway.

She explains, "that hunter bastard is at Frye Airworks, and I don't think he cares if it's still there or not. I'm sorry. I know how much you want to keep your business."

Kaylee sniffles hard. Some more tears fall from her face as she shakily stands there.

Knowing how Kaylee is feeling... Simon gets teary eyed some.

Inara hugs Kaylee close.

At a whisper... She says in her ear, "shh. Me and Mal will rescue River. We'll be okay."

Kaylee somberly nods.

Around then...

Book gulps nervously some.

Sounding almost mysterious... He realizes, "how much do you know?"

With a know-it-all kind of faint smile... Saffron answers, "I know what Jayne told me: That if you can't do something smart, do something right. That you were a double agent for the Browncoats all this time. But, I take it now you know how I feel about The Alliance. Now you answer my question, or I kill you right here."

Book very faintly smiles back.

Calmly... He says, "I understand. I have seen many enemies on my path with God. Might this convince you to have mercy for a damned but well meaning preacher?"

Book interestingly takes out a dark gray Personal Cortex Access Device. He holds it out with one hand.

Saffron raises a eyebrow.

With lingering faint amusement... She takes the Personal Cortex Access Device with her free hand.

But, as soon as she starts looking through the images on the screen... She starts to get teary eyed.

The images are of Mal, Zoe, Simon, River, Inara, Jayne...and her own face on Alliance arrest warrants.

Book asks, "Saphra?"

There's a brief nervous silence.

Then... Saffron looks up.

Sounding somewhat shaky... She asks, "you sure you're not going to take me in, Derrial?"

Book just firmly insists, "no. I came to help Mal, his crew...perhaps you too."

Saffron faintly laughs at that last part. But, she still pockets the Personal Cortex Access Device.

With a faint smirk... Saffron figures, "good. But, you know, I still am not sure about you."

Completely unphased... Book concludes simply, "that is fair. You seem very odd yourself."

Saffron rolls her eyes kind of amusingly. But, she doesn't say much.

They're not walking hand in hand. But, they start to fast walk together along some shipment crates.

Not long after, at Frye Airworks...

Saffron and Book are coming up a dirt path to the left. Mal, Inara, Zoe, and Jayne are coming up up another.

Everyone except Inara have their guns drawn and ready.

Bordering on nervous... Zoe asks, "where's Kaylee and Simon?"

Inara moderately sighs. She explains, "they're going with Wash to get to Serenity before The Alliance. It was the only way I could be certain Simon wouldn't come and make his injuries worse trying to save River."

Mal and Zoe faintly chuckle to themselves. Saffron kind of annoyedly rolls her eyes.

With a faint smile... Mal is in the middle of saying, "good...plan."

Just then... There are two explosions.

They all turn to look.

They see the neon sign over Frye Airworks burning...and the two open levels starting to burn.

Two big tan blue garage doors have fallen from them.

They're charred and burning on the ground. The color from the doors is burned away.

With mixed feelings... And, teary eyed... Inara mutters, "oh my god."

Everyone else is silent and tense.

A all too familiar voice calls down, "that was your new beating heart? Oh well. Faint laugh. Well, you left me in space. I like this space now. The rooms are solid, even in fire. The walls can really..."

He feels his head some with his free hand. He groans some in his unhinged state of mind.

It's Jubal Early, standing on the edge of the second level.

He's in his special space armor. But, he wears no helmet.

He has already drawn out his all too shiny pistol.

Jayne laughs amusedly. He goes, "that is Jubal? Gorram, he ain't there 'nough to kill a cow."

Almost worried sounding... Mal warns, "Jayne..."

Jayne asks, "what? He does."

Everyone else is suddenly noticing Jubal reaching for something.

Before Mal can call it... Saffron calls out, "get down!"

Jubal throws a grenade down at them.

The explosion kicks up a storm of dust and rocks.

Most everyone dives for cover. Saffron tumble ducks on her side to get out of the way.

Mal jump dives further out for the burning down entrance.

Even on his side though... Book shoots back with a loud choo.

The bullet hits Jubal's hand. His pistol flies out of his hand.

Jubal groans violently some as he clutches his hand. Some dark red liquid is seen dripping from it.

He steps back behind the rising smoke behind him.

Everyone is getting back on their feet.

Mal, Zoe, and Book almost get clear shots at him. But, Jubal is already out of sight of them.

Zoe mutters to herself, "damn." Mal mutters to himself, "gorram."

Soon, they're all fast walking through the entrance to Frye Airworks.

Inside... Parts of ships and Frye Airworks are crashing down and burning down around.

But, in the midst of the smoke and fire... Saffron breaks away when she spots something.

She pulls along some thick line of rope with a hooked end. It's from a burning mostly crisp brown Flying Mule.

Saffron throws up the rope line.

It latches onto a tail end of a crashed down and burning rundown ship sticking up through the ceiling.

She climbs up to the second floor. She makes it up.

Saffron very faintly grins to herself. But, she's glaring toward Jubal.

He's not far, looking around the burning wreckage. He's got his pistol back in its holster around his leg.

But, he has a dark red liquid soaked piece of mechanical jumpsuit wrapped around the wound on his hand.

In just a few seconds... Jubal turns her way.

With a all too cool headed smile... Jubal observes, "Saffron. Or, is it Saphra? You have many names."

Still glaring... Saffron mutters, "Saffron."

Jubal wonders, "what happened? Did I shoot your boyfriend's brain out or something?"

With a very faint smirk... Saffron comments, "Jayne is good. I want to kill you myself to keep him from you."

Jubal looks a little stunned by that. But, he faintly laughs it off.

Teary eyed... Saffron points out cuttingly, "you know, you're not good. You tried to get on top of Kaylee and hurt her. You like to hurt good people."

Jubal closes his eyes. He shakes his head like mad.

Agitated... Jubal mutters under his breath, "no. It's...part of my job! Killed a bounty hunter...for the job...when he found me floating in space cause he were trackin' me."

He takes some heavy breaths between words.

In a creepy kind of way... Saffron looks kind of amused now.

The teariness in her eyes is starting to dry up.

Tempted to play him along... Saffron figures, "all right. If you're a good bounty hunter, tell me: Why haven't you tried to grab me for a bounty or kill me?"

Meanwhile...

Jayne turns down a corner.

He suddenly realizes who's gone missing.

Somewhat nervously... Jayne calls out, "Saffron? Saffron!"

He tears through some of the wreckage with his bare hands.

But, he doesn't find anything. Only a burnt off fallen hook.

Jayne gulps nervously. For, he's now alone.

That is...until he hears someone.

A familiar voice pierces through the flames, "Jayne Cobb, you reptile!"

A loud choo goes off.

Jayne runs.

A aflame compressor coil explodes from the shot in a burst of fire and smoke.

Jayne circles back around.

Jayne mutters, "what gorr...am..."

A figure coming out from the smoke is pointing a shotgun at him.

Jayne is pointing Vera at him.

The figure has a much shorter beard and medium hair now. But, there's no mistaking that face.

With a intense glare... Jayne realizes, "Stitch. Gorramit, I killed ya! How you still holdin' a gun?"

Stitch wheezes and lowly laughs. He mutters, "ain't care. I want to cost you every last bit of ya! Seem I get turned to a reptile to cut you down. I ain't asking 'em gloved men how. I just gonna cut you down!"

Jayne fires.

But... It just ricochets off of the metal plating under Stitch's clothes.

A loud metal clink.

Stitch lowly laughs.

Jayne gives a nervous grin.

Then... He makes a run for it.

Several loud choos. Flaming ship parts with bullet holes in them exploding left and right.

Jayne runs left and right between them.

Jayne heads up the blocky stairs to the second floor.

But... He pauses a bit to fire back at Stitch.

Stitch groans violently. He's tempted to clutch his arm.

Dark red liquid drips from his arm. But, from years of sitting in a hot-box, it's nothing much to him.

Stitch keeps running after Jayne.

Jayne ducks to the side of a set of shelves with half burnt engine parts. He's breathing real nervous.

Meanwhile...

Inara, Zoe, Mal, and Book have already gotten up to the second floor.

River's unconscious body is chained to two silvery foldout Alliance umbrellas, wedged in two broken windows.

A empty discarded gold rimmed light red tranquilizer gun is on the floor.

Inara looks shocked. She sniffles.

After a bit... And, teary eyed... Inara realizes, "Atherton. I know you don't like to lose. But, you sure you want to be involved in all of this? River was experimented on: She just wants to be a girl."

Atherton Wing is standing between them and River. He has his dueling sword drawn out and ready.

A mostly silvery plated humanoid robot guard stands by Atherton Wing. It has a light orange built-in fencing helmet, hints of dark blue tubes laced with fancy sensor wires under glass for one shuttle shaped eye, a all too shiny black hand, and a built-in black rimmed fencing sword with a light orange hilt instead of a hand in its other arm.

Zoe and Mal get tenser. Their guns are still drawn out and ready.

Atherton gets a little teary eyed. But, he just as quickly glares intensely at Inara.

Atherton insists, "I got nothing left to lose, you whore! Jubal turns in River. I turn Reynolds and Zoe in. My black mark is then gone: Courtesy of The Alliance. You still got a problem with that? Ask them."

Firmly and tensely... Inara points out, "well then, I guess we're done with talking. You'll have to kill me first."

Zoe and Book look nervous some.

With mixed feelings... Mal argues, "Inara, what Sǐ de fēngkuáng de shì are you...?!"

Kind of sarcastically... Inara comments, "well, you've beaten him before Mal. How hard can it be?"

Atherton angrily calls out, "why, you whore!"

He charges straight for Inara and Mal with his sword.

Very nervous all a sudden... Inara mutters out loud, "gos se!"

At the same time... She knocks Mal down.

Atherton's sword misses them by just a few seconds.

A little stunned... Mal adds, "thank you."

With a very faint smirk... Inara adds, "you're welcome of course."

They're both just getting up.

Atherton charges for Inara.

But, even while mostly crouched over... Inara pulls out her fencing sword just in time.

Their swords clink loudly against the other's sword.

With a fierce glare... Zoe gets ready to shoot Atherton a little further back.

Book gets ready to shoot the robot guard.

But... The robot guard's sensor system detects the guns about to be fired.

In defensive mode... The robot guard electrically whirls around.

It hard punches at Book with its hand.

Book almost doesn't duck in time to avoid it. But, he crouches down fast enough.

The robot guard then whirls into Zoe's side with its sword's hilt.

Zoe doubles over. She's coughing violently some.

She almost drops her custom made rifle. But, she's still holding on to it.

Not caring much about the robot guard just by her... Zoe gets ready to shoot Atherton again.

Inara is standing up to face Atherton.

With a smug look on his face... Atherton thrusts at her side with his sword.

Inara turns fast off to the side. His sword misses her.

Atherton catches his breath some. He's coughing violently by the smoke.

The robot guard is about to stab Zoe in the chest.

Just then... There's a slice.

Mal is just drawing out his shotgun then.

But... The robot guard's sliced off head is lying on the ground.

The robot guard's robot body is sparking off like mad and going up in fire.

And, standing behind it...is Book: With a gray sheeted looking but sharp machete.

Looking concerned... Inara kind of cautiously walks over to Atherton.

In seconds though... Atherton stops coughing easily.

He thrusts at her ankle.

Inara groans violently. Her ankle is dripping dark red liquid.

She's struggling to still stand.

Atherton mutters, "goodbye, Inara."

Mal and Zoe turn to shoot Atherton.

But, just before they can... Inara knocks the wind out of Atherton with the hilt of her sword.

Atherton doubles back. He's no longer smiling.

He's clutching his side...wheezing and coughing violently for real this time.

Mal smirks in relief.

He punches Atherton out himself.

In concern... Mal turns to Inara, "how you holdin...?"

Inara groans violently some.

With a faint smile though... Inara insists, "I'm fine Mal. I just need first aid as soon as we can get some."

She takes out a fancy dark purple handkerchief. She bends over to wrap it around the wound.

Mal just faintly nods to her.

With a wide smile... Zoe says, "Book."

Book remarks calmly, "there's no place in hell for things like this. Keep River safe."

He puts his machete away like it's just another day for him at a farm.

Zoe figures, "right Shepherd. But, Jubal has to be up here too."

Feeling pressed for time... She carefully shoots off the chains around River's body with her custom made rifle.

Sounding off put some... Mal realizes, "yeah. And, he ain't none alone."

Meanwhile...

Stitch calls out, "come out, you dirty low-down shingle! Or, I'll start cutting on your girl 'till you come out."

That got Jayne a little teary eyed.

In sudden realization though... He faintly smiles to himself.

He puts away Vera.

Before Stitch can turn around... Jayne violently pushes the set of shelves down on him with his bare hands.

Stitch cries out.

He's now lying motionless under all the hints of dark red liquid splatter, engine parts, and splintered shelves.

Jayne starts to rush over to the others. But...he pauses.

He takes out Vera again.

He shoots Stitch in the head.

Then, with a grim satisfied look... Jayne walks over to the others.

Jayne thinks to himself as he does:

 **Stay gorram killed, Stitch Hessian. Just stay like that there.**

Meanwhile...

Sounding better all a sudden... Jubal laughs.

He's looking up: With open eyes and a all too cool smile.

Jubal reveals, "I didn't need to spy on you to know a good bounty hunter when I see one. I just went through security footage and pieced it all in my mind. I know your tragic story, Saffron. It weren't right. Your story after... What's the word? Respect: That's the word."

He strangely kind of points to her on the last part.

Looking disturbed... Saffron comments, "that's not the word I'd go with."

Jubal figures, "sorry. It's just..."

He faintly laughs.

Saffron is quick to ask, "what?"

All too casually... Jubal figures, "you let yourself be played to become a player. I respect that. We could get a lot of figures together, you and me."

Saffron's glare is quickly returning.

Saffron mutters back, "well, how is this for a answer?"

She violently up spin kicks at him, trying to get him by surprise.

But... Jubal just grabs her by the leg and throws her down.

Saffron's handgun falls. It clinks hard against a intact section of floor.

Saffron groans violently some, clutching her leg.

Jubal shakes his head.

He figures, "it's a pity. If I have to kill you to get the bounties on the crew, I will. Don't make me."

He has a hand near his pistol.

Suddenly... Saffron puts her hands up.

Breathing nervously... Saffron suggests, "no guns? Violent groan. You just took me down easy. I'm worth more alive one way or another to you. So, if you take me down again, I'm yours."

Jubal laughs loudly. He figures, "all right. I'll play this game. But, you don't have a damn chance."

He moves his hand away from his pistol.

Saffron barely gets up. But, she's not trying to steady herself either.

Jubal looks somewhat nervous now. But, he still stands ready with his arms and fists out.

Saffron violently kicks up with her other leg.

Jubal spin kicks fast while spinning his arms out.

Their legs hit each other just as fast...knocking themselves back violently against the floor.

Saffron tumbles kind of easily back on her feet. But, she's still groaning violently some.

Jubal is groaning violently some himself as he tries to get up.

Seeing a chance... Saffron run charges for him.

Saffron grabs both of his arms.

She tries to tackle grapple slam him against a flaming section of wall.

But... Jubal still manages to slam spin punch one of his arms violently into her side.

Saffron doubles over. She's coughing up some dark red liquid.

Soon, Jubal pulls her up.

Just then... Mal catches sight of them.

In a morbid way... He looks amused.

Casually and a little loud... Mal calls out, "looks like you're in a peck of trouble. Need my help?"

Jubal is starting to put a choke hold around Saffron's neck.

Defiantly... Saffron calls back, "no! I got him."

She tries to jump back to slam Jubal back for the fire anyway.

But, with the sudden momentum... They end up side tumbling on the floor.

They exchange fists. But, they keep missing.

That is...until Jubal grapple pins her down.

She tries to break free. But, his grip is too tight on her arms. And, there's no room to kick either.

Saffron frustratedly sighs. She calls out, "all right! Violent cough. I give."

Jubal smiles confidently.

He moves off of her. But, he's getting ready to punch her out.

Thinking he's already won... Jubal doesn't even see Mal coming from the side.

Mal punches him violently down...for a hole in the floor.

He falls through the hole in the floor...right for the fire below waiting for him.

Jubal cries out, "no! !"

A gust of smoke rises from the hole.

And, just like that... His body has gone from a body with a all too shiny object to a burning up corpse.

With Mal's help... Saffron awkwardly gets up.

She holds onto him to keep herself steady as they started walking.

Kind of nervously... She says, "are you... Violent cough! ...going to tell anyone else... Violent cough! ...about me needing your help with Jubal?"

Mal faintly chuckles. He comments, "are you kiddin', Saffron? It's too damn good not to."

Saffron sharply glares back. But, she doesn't really feel like arguing over it either.

Inara faintly smiles to herself.

She almost looks up.

But, even with how she feels about Saffron... She doesn't want to start anything.

By now... Book and Zoe are carefully carrying River out the back.

River is just starting to open her eyes. But, she doesn't fight back.

She reads their feelings.

She closes her eyes again. But, she faintly smiles to herself: Knowing she's safe now.

Back upstairs... Mal asks, "what took you, Jayne?"

Getting real restless... Jayne mutters, "aw "nothin'": I had to kill Stitch 'fore he came up shooting...again. What the ruttin' hell happened here, Mal?!"

There's a nervous silence.

Whirling sirens are faintly heard. But, they're getting louder rather quick.

With concern... Inara interrupts, "sorry to interrupt. But, this isn't a good time. Now, we got to go."

Without another word... Mal, Jayne, and Saffron start walking out with Inara.

Kind of assuringly... Saffron says, "I'll tell you later, Jayne. Violent cough! You can tell me about Stitch."

Not sure what else to say... Jayne just says, "okay."

Not long after...

It's late afternoon. The White Sun shines glaringly in the sky.

A forklift styled rustic tan yellow Flying Mule is speeding down the stacked up highways. It has red and black construction site like lines front and back, black escape pod like hovercraft engines, gray hand railings to the sides and front, a double windows windshield, a gold rigged buckler like detail on both sides, four black cushion rimmed seats with light green plating with holes, a tan gray maintenance kit built on one side, and Serenity's symbol on the back.

There's no cargo in the back now. But, that's what Mal recently bought it for: Custom made and all.

Inara is sitting in the back. River is faintly smiling across her lap with her eyes closed.

Inara very faintly smiles to herself.

Jayne and Book are standing. But, they're holding on the hand rails to keep themselves steady.

Saffron has a available seat. But, she's holding onto the hand rails to steady herself instead.

Zoe is piloting. Mal is sitting next to her in the co-pilot seat.

Zoe is looking real nervous. But, she concentrates on the highway.

A handful of shuttle styled hovercars speeds past. But, most of the hovercars are avoiding the center lane.

Coming up behind Mal's Flying Mule in the center lane...are two Alliance All Terrain Skiffs.

The AATSs each have a red camera eye with a laser sight, faint coal red metal studded ceramic plates and purplish indicator lights, a domed shuttle shape to it, some gray metal studded ceramic side plates, extendable heavy duty wheels for storm conditions in desert terrain, and tripod like gray doors for the wheel compartments doubling as extra built in antenna to strengthen Cortex connection reception in storm conditions.

They seem automated. But, mostly dark blue Cortex screens on their front fiberglass panels indicate another thing entirely.

Some carefully picked out Alliance officers are manually controlling them from the Alliance security room from earlier. But, audio from their moving mouths is not being broadcast.

With loud and moderately loud choos... Jayne and Saffron fire their most favorite guns at the AATSs.

Jayne keeps steady, despite not holding much to the handrails now.

Mal asks, "Jayne, Saffron...any thing?"

Frustratedly... Jayne mutters, "nothin' Mal. Not one damn scratch!"

Saffron curses under her breath, "liánméng wú rén jī bèndàn lǘ!"

Mal chuckles hard.

Inara looks disturbed at Saffron. But, Saffron doesn't turn around to notice.

But, Inara thinks River is just sleeping. So, she doesn't say much.

No scratch on the AATSs. Just bits of loose ceramic dust particles around them.

The AATSs electronically whirl their camera eyes on gyro oriented 3-axis gimbals toward Mal's Flying Mule.

Gray side plates of theirs suddenly whirl open...revealing extending out machine guns on gryo oriented 3-axis gimbals.

Zoe calls out, "everybody, hold on!"

She steers the Flying Mule hard up right...crashing through the back ends of some hovercars.

A pileup of hovercars starts to form behind them. But, some hovercars just hover off over the pileup.

Up the highway... The Flying Mule hovers diagonally sideways off the side of a gray pole.

The AATS fire.

A lot of loud choos. Bullets riddle the nearest two poles.

One pole explodes in a dust storm of concrete...covering one of the AATSs in concrete dust.

Its circuits are sparking off like crazy with little fires.

It jerks around and whirls full circle down. But, most of the concrete dust doesn't come off.

It crash lands against the side of the highway...taking down a chunk of highway with it.

It explodes in a pillar of smoke and fire.

Some hovercars are caught in the explosion. Screams from drivers.

Alliance police hovercars and ambulances are speeding to the crash. Whirling sirens.

Meanwhile... The Flying Mule steadies itself upright.

It's about to land on a monorail track.

Jayne faintly laughs. He figures, "yah! Let's see those puffed out fay tyeh follow us...now."

The second AATS is flying over them. It's whirling down its machine guns.

Annoyedly... And, with gritted teeth some... Mal comments, "damnit."

The AATS fires down on the track. A lot of loud choos.

A little teary eyed all a sudden... Zoe mutters under her breath, "gorram!"

Zoe is speeding the Flying Mule down a long curve in the monorail track.

More and more track inches behind them is riddled with bullets.

More falling debris is crashing down behind them. Kicked up concrete dust and electromagnetic sparks.

Then... The AATS whirls its machine guns forward.

There's a rustic pipes styled monorail station just up ahead on the track. Only a few folk are there now though.

The AATS fires...bringing down the monorail entryway in a pile of debris and kicked up dust.

The Flying Mule turns hard back around.

Sounding worried... Zoe asks, "what now, sir?"

Most everyone looks fairly nervous to Mal.

Mal nervously sighs. He admits, "I ain't got a plan now."

All the while though... Jayne takes off one of the magnetic latched custom grenades from Vera.

He loads it into the black mounted grenade launcher.

From the security room's Cortex screen... The AATSs's target locks are over the track around the Flying Mule.

It's about to fire.

Then... Jayne launches the grenade.

There's a big explosion of flash, acid, and smoke.

Near everyone reactively bends down and covers their eyes. Only River already has her eyes closed.

The AATS is burning down fast.

Before it crashes down on the debris back along the track... It explodes in a pillar of fire and smoke.

Everyone except River opens their eyes.

Most of them faintly chuckle and laugh in great relief.

Saffron faintly smiles knowingly to Jayne. She is quick to add, "good shot."

Jayne is looking relieved himself. He concludes, "thanks."

Saffron adds, "sure."

Kind of shook... Inara suddenly realizes, "wait. You knew he had those?"

Saffron tilts her head slightly up.

In a all too casual kind of way... Saffron just says, "yeah. I thought you all knew that. Oh well."

Mal faintly sighs. But, he looks amused.

Most of them faintly chuckle and laugh again.

Soon... The Flying Mule is starting to head back for the docks.

Then... There's some faint static coming from Saffron's pants.

Most everyone kind of stares at her.

Kind of annoyedly... Saffron insists, "I got it. God."

She pulls out the modified two-way radio.

She then realizes she's breathing hard...which is the real reason why most everyone is staring.

Exhausted from standing too long... She finally decides to sit down.

Jayne goes over to her.

He asks, "you all right?"

Saffron briefly puts a sympathetic hand on his.

With a very faint smile... Saffron mostly assures, "thank you gunny. But, I'm okay."

Mal and Zoe faintly shake their heads. They faintly smirk to themselves.

Saffron then presses a button on the two-way radio. A click follows.

She answers the two-way radio, "Kaylee? Are we good to get out of here?"

From the other end... Kaylee is standing in a familiar cockpit.

She's crying. Tears fall from her face.

Between the tears... Kaylee murmurs very nervously, "they...they..."

In concern... Saffron asks, "what's wrong Kaylee?"

Kaylee breathes in and out heavily. She sniffles hard.

Somberly... She explains kind of loudly, "they took Serenity. Hard sniffle! We couldn't got there soon enough. The feds ruttin' took her!"

Zoe stops the Flying Mule.

River is teary eyed and sniffling. But, she opens her eyes.

Teary eyed herself... Inara holds her closer in her lap.

There's a chilling silence in the Flying Mule.

Everyone is looking real nervous. Even Book, Mal, and Saffron are.

* * *

 _Act V_

As day is giving way to night...

Mal, Jayne, Inara, and Saffron are back at Saffron and Jayne's residential suite. Or...what's left.

The furniture, wolf skins, and kitchen appliances are gone. The fiberglass wall sections have all been shut down.

All that's left is one view out to the fiberglass window lined hall and one out to the setting sun.

Not long before they came up... Saffron has taken out her Personal Access Cortex Device by the circuit breakers to hack into the security cameras.

She turned off light yellow lines for sections of security cameras to clear a way up for them.

Meanwhile... Inara's shuttle and the Flying Mule are on the docking pad on the roof.

More than a little irritated... Mal presses, "okay Saffron. No crazy time. Why are we back here?"

Jayne looks at Mal funny. But, he doesn't seem to care.

Surprisingly... Saffron doesn't seem phased a bit by Mal's question.

Sounding kind of playful... Saffron answers, "well, that's easy. I still got sixty four million in this room. Faint laugh. You don't have to trust me. But...see for yourself."

Inara and Mal look suspicious at her. But, they don't argue.

Turning to Jayne... Saffron is quick to assure, "I know you love me Jayne. Please don't worry over it."

Jayne faintly smiles. Saffron grins back.

Interestingly... Saffron places her mostly silvery cylinder on a fiberglass wall section.

She pulls back the apparently very light glass wall section, with her hand on her mostly silvery cylinder.

Behind it is a smallish closet.

A thin built mostly light blue black lined wall safe is there. A very light glass wall section behind it makes up a back wall: With a dim 3D printer copy of part of the lit fiberglass wall section from earlier, and turned off brighter color coded lights.

Saffron turns the wall safe dial several times.

It clicks open.

Inside the safe... There's several near whitish blue computer discs with dark red circuitry in plastic sleeves.

Each has a different bank account number. They're each worth fifteen to twenty million credits.

Jayne's grin widens. Mal and Inara look wide eyed in shock.

Mal murmurs, "whoa. Good safe."

Saffron nervously sighs. She suddenly admits, "okay. It's not that easy."

Sharply... Inara says under her breath, "gos se. I knew you couldn't be trusted!"

Solemnly... Saffron tries to be assuring, "please. I'd never do that again to a part of Jayne, and it's with you and your crew Malcolm. I just..."

She nervously sighs. She seems to be getting more nervous by the minute.

Saffron continues, "some of you are really not going to like my plan. But...it's better than just going on the run."

Mal cautiously looks to her. He's crossing his arms as he does.

Inara deeply sighs. But, her expression lightens a little.

Really reluctant... Inara says, "okay. What is this plan of yours I'm not going to like?"

Teary eyed... Saffron explains, "I'm...in good with some corrupt Alliance federal men on Bellerophron. I keep their operations quiet. They give me a backdoor to wipe clean my arrest records. Not past a day. Nervous sigh. They arranged the discs ahead of time for me in case there were arrest warrants for us and Jayne's riches were taken out. But, I had to promise they could keep one with a million credits."

After a bit... Saffron explains more, "after what happened with Durran... Faint sniffle. It's how I kept ahead of The Alliance for so long. I didn't want to tell anyone. Faint sniffle. Please try not to take it a bad way. I really don't like the idea of helping anyone that is Alliance: Even if they like money so much. No one is forcing me. But, if I don't keep working with them...I'll be locked up for good."

She sniffles. Some tears fall from her face, despite her trying to close them away with her eyes.

A little teary eyed... Jayne mutters, "aw hell. You didn't got to go hidin' that. Not from me."

Overcome by her very mixed feelings... Tears keep falling from Saffron's face.

She hugs him close. Jayne hugs her back.

Saffron is looking down over his shoulder. She's hiding most of her face from Inara and Mal.

Some more tears hit the floor.

Solemnly and kind of nervously... Jayne tells her, "it's okay. I love you. That ain't gonna change. All right?"

Then, slowly but surely... Saffron's tears start to stop.

Still not looking out... She very faintly smiles down by his shoulder.

Saffron whispers to him, "thank you Jayne. Thank you so much. Faint sniffle. Always so thoughtful."

Jayne faintly smiles awkwardly to her.

With very mixed feelings... Mal very faintly smiles to himself.

Inara is glaring fiercely Saffron's and Jayne's way. She can't hold back anymore.

Bordering on creepily cheerful... Inara exclaims, "good! I'll lock her up myself if I..."

Jayne whirls around, keeping Saffron behind him.

He draws out Vera.

With a heated glare... Jayne threatens, "I ain't want to kill you Inara. But, if you ain't moving, I ain't joking."

Not even looking away a bit... Inara draws out her pistol.

Mal quickly gets in between them. He puts his hands up.

Mal calls out, "whoa, whoa! Before we all start somethin' we'll mighty regret... Put the guns down now!"

He's shouting very loudly on the last part.

Without a second thought... Jayne nervously puts Vera away.

Inara hesitates.

But... She puts her pistol away.

Saffron breathes a nervous sigh of relief. She's still close by Jayne from behind his shoulder.

Inara deeply sighs. She gets teary eyed.

After a bit... She comments, "unbelievable. Why do you always have to complicate things with her, Mal?! She is corrupt, and you're still protecting her! Stop believing the gos se lies that are her, or I'm leaving."

Breathing hard... And, very frustratedly... Mal mutters back, "I am not takin' sides, damnit! I'm on the side of me and my crew surviving, which I'm not all keen on right now my self on account of what near done happened here. Don't you tell me what to do now."

Undeterred... Inara suggests, "well, if we turn her in, the rest of us could get off easy."

Coldly... Mal shoots back, "and is that going to make Simon, River, me, or Zoe better? Is it now?! 'cause The Alliance already had it in for us long 'fore you got onboard my ship. Is that what you want? Very faint chuckle. 'cause I got to say now: That really don't sound like you, Inara."

Inara looks real stunned. Some tears fall from her face.

Then... Inara storms off...slamming the door shut behind her.

Somewhat uncomfortably... Mal comments, "well...that weren't mighty terrible as I reckoned it was."

Jayne and Saffron are staring at him like he's just gone nuts.

Mal pretends to not notice them staring, turning back to the safe.

Not long after...

A contact of Saffron's from Bellerophron has already brought her a ASREV to borrow.

A shipment crate at the docks was emptied to accommodate the Flying Mule: Until Mal's crew could come back for it.

But, when they and Saffron got to the ASREV... The contact was nowhere to be seen.

No lingering doubt who he or she likely is.

Saffron got in the pilot seat of the ASREV. Jayne got in the co-pilot seat next to her.

Inara, Simon, Kaylee, and River elected to stay on Inara's shuttle. But, Inara's shuttle flew into the black with the ASREV.

The trip to Bellerophron got very quiet very quick.

Late that night, on Bellerophron...

Stars are in the night sky. But, the stars glimmer against the black cast over the Bellerophron Estates.

The ASREV and Inara's shuttle are by a Bellerophron Estate.

The island hovers over the sea waves. The Estate has red tinted window drapes and a massive grass lawn.

Inside the Estate... There's dusty pillars with dark yellow banner with white swirled Alliance symbols.

There's a wide open living room with a stark gray floor, some guest rooms reeking of sweat and dried dark red liquid drips, two mostly white marble bathrooms, and a all too clean looking big bedroom with two silver sheeted beds.

For completely different reasons, Kaylee and Inara want to be alone.

They're in separate guest rooms. But, they are both crouched on beds: Shook and teary eyed.

From the other side of the metallic gray door to Kaylee's room... Nearly everyone tried to talk to her.

But... She just kept saying, "I'm real sorry. Sniffle! I ain't going to feel like comin' out."

Jayne, Saffron, and everyone else very reluctantly let her be.

Mal knew he'd get the same answer from her. So, he didn't even try to talk to Kaylee.

Not long after that... Mal, Wash, Zoe, and Jayne are sitting on the very dark blue couch.

A red lined black Alliance dedicated source box is on a small wood table in front of them. Its almost watery screen isn't up.

Saffron and Book are sitting at a wood table off to the side of the living room. They're just talking.

River is by some bookshelves behind the couch, sitting on the floor. Simon is sitting by her.

River is kind of bent over. Her head is tilted to her right.

She's shivering uncontrollably some. But, she's drawing okay with a purple color pencil on parchment paper.

Sounding calm... And, with a faint smile... Wash remarks, "here's a wacky thought. We're sitting in a big special hot-box, and Saffron is getting ready to turn the heat on us when we're sleeping to kill us. Then, she goes and gets some bounties. Jayne might be too sweaty to chase her. But..."

Not being in a good mood lately... Mal stifles the urge to chuckle hard.

Zoe laughs.

With a faint smile... Zoe comments, "well, now my troubling thought is losing ground."

Glaringly... Jayne says, "now that ain't funny."

Real uncomfortably... Mal is quick to bring up, "this gorram place ain't neither Jayne. She could hear us. But we're all still standing now, and that tells us something."

With a somewhat uneasy look... Jayne offhandedly asks, "thanks?"

Overhearing them... Saffron faintly smirks to herself.

Book wonders, "is something funny?"

Sounding a little amused... Saffron insists, "it's nothing, Book."

Book just says, "uh-huh."

Then... He asks, "did you ever see Paper Trail of the Hollows?"

Saffron very faintly smirks.

A little awkwardly... Saffron says, "I'm sorry. I really like playing parts: It's just more thrilling than a theater."

Book looks kind of amused at her.

He pinpoints, "people perform parts in the theater, Saffron. They just aren't usually around lust."

Saffron shifts her eyes some.

In a mostly serious tone... Saffron asks, "what's your point?"

Book sighs in disbelief. He faintly laughs.

Addressing Mal... Zoe says, "you're right sir. But, if it ain't Jayne and Saffron...who do you think tipped them off?"

Mal says, "I don't mean it ain't possible. But, you think it'd already catch up to them if it did."

Uneasy for another reason... Jayne wonders, "you think it were that big Buddha statue we took, Mal?"

Zoe dryly remarks, "you stole a big statue? Well, that explains everything."

Zoe, Wash, and Mal look kind of amused at Jayne.

Mal concludes, "yeah. Here what is more important: Why couldn't you tell us?"

Jayne explains, "she said it were good insured. Oughta be one like it in that rich folk's pagoda back of his there house."

Sounding a bit better... Mal considers, "maybe. But, he could be carryin' a grudge. We should check it out."

Slightly off circles of high purple peaks come together to form three overlapping circles for River's drawing.

Simon wonders, "they're high frequency soundwaves?"

River is shivering more. But, she faintly nods.

Nervously all a sudden... River says, "hers. Not mi..."

Then... Mal checks, "what about Simon?"

Jayne laughs. He points out, "aw, him? He ain't the kind to go off shootin' people, Mal. That's me."

Wash adds, "you're right. He's not."

Somewhat uncomfortably... Mal highlights, "right. He ain't that kind of man. But...he did go to a heap of trouble to get River out. Wouldn't be the only time he mooned The Alliance for someone he really cared for."

Zoe is in the middle of saying, "that is...true."

There's a loud scream.

Mal, Zoe, Wash, Jayne, Book, and Saffron swiftly get up.

They look behind the couch.

Simon calls out worriedly, "River?!"

The colored pencil has fallen on the floor.

River's shivers have turned to shaking. Violent uncontrollable shaking.

She's still screaming. She's reactively covering her ears to something.

Simon is already rushing for his med kit.

Zoe murmurs in shock, "oh my god."

Everyone looks shocked.

Mal and Zoe go to River's side.

They restrain River down and facing up to try to keep her steady. But, it doesn't seem to be helping much.

Simon is coming fast with his hypo-gun.

Then... River stops screaming.

She has some dark red liquid dripping from her ears. But, the violent shaking stops.

River sniffles hard. And, she starts to cry.

Tensely... Simon asks, "what happened?"

Suddenly... Saffron cries out, "god!"

Everyone except River turns back to her.

A audio Alli-ray disc has just been ejected from the Alliance dedicated source box. It's on the floor.

Saffron is bent over it, shaking. She sniffles hard.

Some tears fall over the Alli-ray disc.

Fairly shook... Jayne calls out, "Saffron?"

Saffron doesn't answer.

Jayne tries to catch up to her. But, she fast walks faster down the hall.

She goes through a bedroom door...slamming it shut behind her.

Jayne mutters something in hard to hear Chinese.

He takes his frustration out on part of a wall. But, it just makes his fist sore.

Mal, Zoe, and Book look to the hall. They notice the hall floor wet with Saffron's tears.

In mixed feelings... Mal mutters, "Wèishéme zài zhè jié jīng wénzhōng tā lā zhège húndàn jìliǎng?"

River's tears are falling less and less now.

Teary eyed... Simon checks, "River? Are you okay now?"

River sits up. She very faintly nods.

She moves her hands down from her ears. They're covered in most of the dark red liquid drips.

Somberly... River realizes, "she's afraid: Of me. Faint sniffle. Was only trying to protect her brain from mine. Don't know if... Faint sniffle. ...if she's less of a liar."

Simon very faintly smiles in acknowledgment. He faintly sniffles.

He goes to one of the bathrooms to get a towel wet. It's to help wash away the dark red liquid on River's hands.

Interestingly... Zoe and Wash seem to have vanished from sight of the others.

There's a very nervous silence between Mal, Book, and Jayne.

Addressing Jayne... Mal asks, "Jayne. Did you know of this?"

Jayne moderately sighs. He uncomfortably admits, "she told me not to tell anyone, Mal."

Mal heavily sighs.

Kind of nervous... Book points out, "left alone long enough, her fear will make her worse. Someone has to talk to her."

Dead serious... Jayne figures, "I oughta talk to her. I could go with her Mal. We ain't would be near trouble to your crew."

Mal very faintly smiles. But, it just as quickly fades from his face.

With some mixed feelings... Mal considers, "that's a mighty good gesture, coming from you. But, I don't think it has to come to it Jayne. 'sides, you still with a "legendary" bounty your self. I ought to least go in 'fore you do."

Sounding shook still... Jayne just says, "okay."

And, with that... Mal walks to the closed bedroom door.

From the other side of the door... Saffron is sitting on the edge of the backmost bed.

More silent tears fall from her face. She's bent over, still shaking something fierce.

Mal knocks on the door.

Bordering on casual... Mal calls, "Yo-Saf-Bridge..."

Sounding solemn... Saffron murmurs lowly, "go away!"

Mal concludes, "I could kick the door in. But, I don't think neither of us is keen on the idea. So..."

Saffron sighs kind of defeatedly. She sniffles loudly.

She goes over to the door. She cautiously unlocks it.

Mal comes in. He closes and locks the door behind him.

He sees her back on the edge of the backmost bed: Bent over, shaking, and silently crying.

A little teary eyed... Mal heavily sighs.

He uncomfortably sits next to her.

Without looking up... Saffron says, "you loving seeing me like this? Sniffle! I'm not."

Silent tears keep falling.

Mal tries to be assuring, "River says you only did it to try to protect your self. But, it seem that's all she read."

Saffron faintly laughs. She comments, "really? Sniffle! I'm not sure of that."

Saffron sits up straight. But, she looks straight ahead at the door.

Saffron thinks out loud, "I'm really sorry. Sniffle! I don't hate her. It's hard to imagine what The Alliance did to her. But...she could kill me easy. Sniffle! How the hell does your crew keep well: Around her, knowing that?"

Mal faintly smiles. He reflects, "my crew has been down this road. But, River ain't never shot us. What does that tell you?"

Saffron concludes, "sorry. Sniffle! It's thoughtful of you to try Malcolm. But...it's not helping."

There's a very awkward silence.

Mal says, "well, Saphra...you have a choice to make. You can be weepy with Jayne to comfort you for a while...much as that's still mighty painful for me to be admitting to..."

With a sharp glare... Saffron mutters back, "please don't make me kick you. Sniffle! All this time, and I still love you hunny. But, I don't love you enough to not do it."

Some silent tears fall from Saffron's face as she says it.

Mal looks somewhat stunned. He nervously gulps.

Like he didn't just hear that though... Mal continues, "...or you and me can go back to get Serenity 'fore Alliance checks her come afternoon. I still really ain't sure of trusting you. But, it better than stayin' near someone you don't want readin' you and near murdering each other."

Saffron nervously sighs. But, the teariness in her eyes starts to dry up.

She faintly smiles. She laughs.

Sounding better... Saffron says, "thrilling. When do we go?"

With a very faint smile... Mal figures, "we go soon as I conjure we does. But, I'm piloting."

Saffron just says, "all right."

Mal gets up.

He walks out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

He finds Jayne, Zoe, and Wash gathered in the living room.

Zoe looks frozen. She's teary eyed.

With concern... Mal asks, "what the hell are...? Zoe?!"

Wash looks concerned too. Jayne looks really tense and kind of nervous.

Wash is about to say something. But...the late night news wave beats him to it.

Over the Bellerophron Estate's dedicated Source Box's almost watery screen... A ANS news announcer with medium silver dyed hair is reading off of a black dedicated Source Box.

The newsroom is done up in a gray lantern styled plaza: With bright Japanese and Chinese lantern styled sunlamps oriented sideways.

On Chinese, Japanese, and dubbed in English tracks... The announcer is in the middle of reading, "...killed many good people. But, for the good of The Alliance, we cleaned out the military factories on Verbena first."

All the while... And, in a almost watery side screen... Black and white security camera footage was playing...of assembly lines of second generation Alliance skiffs exploding in a fireball of wrath.

Shards of metal, chains, pulleys, and conveyor belts were strewn at Companion police and Alliance police.

Screams came from burning bodies. Static from the security footage takes up the side screen more and more.

Through the smoke and fire... Shadows of figures were coming with shotguns.

Alliance and Companion police were trying to aim at the coming shadows with their sonic rifles.

But...the shadows were aiming faster.

Some dark red liquid splatter hits the camera footage. More screams.

The announcer looks shaken.

Teary eyed... The announcer is adding, "but, fortunately... Faint sniffle. This war with these terrorists is over. Thanks to the quick work of our good Alliance soldiers and operatives, there were very little deaths."

By the side... The security camera footage gives way to a full color news broadcast from several hours ago.

From government complexes in Londinium to fancy government meeting rooms of Shinon... Two hundred fifty Graycoats and Browncoats were drawing out their copper lined dusty brown repeating rifles with armor piercing shells.

Tens of former Companion police and former Companion Bodyguards were with them: With silk pink to brown sleeveless dresses, and copper lined dusty brown repeating rifles of their own.

They were all looking creepily satisfied.

Panic and security alarms swept the streets and halls.

But, just as the terrorist movement was about to fire... There were very low choos.

Most of them were knocked hard to the ground by sonic rifles. Their guns went flying with loud thuds.

Some fled back into the shadows.

Some Alliance police were shot dead on the ground as they fled.

But... Alliance police and Alliance agents were forcing most of the movement up to be taken into custody.

Zoe very nervously sighs. A silent tear falls from her face.

Looking away from the screen... Zoe somewhat slowly turns to finally face Mal.

And... Zoe reveals, "I know what tipped the feds off unintended. That weren't never my plan. But... Sniffle. I take full responsibility, sir."

Mal is wide eyed and open mouthed...completely shocked.

* * *

 _Act VI_

Then, with a dead serious glare... He draws out his shotgun.

Tensely and teary eyed... Jayne asks, "what the ruttin' gorram are ya doing Mal?"

Without even looking to him... Mal tells him, "Jayne: Go talk to Saffron."

Jayne interestingly hesitates.

But... He kind of fast walks to the left unlocked bedroom door.

All the while... Zoe hasn't even gone to draw out her custom made rifle.

She nervously looks down. She nervously gulps.

Glaringly... Wash argues, "first off, I'm reasonable certain I take her at her word that any dying 'cause of her was not intended. And second... Oh right. I don't care what she has done Mal: She's still my wife!"

Mal is still aiming his shotgun at Zoe. But, he nervously gulps himself.

Dead serious... Zoe insists, "honey, I love you. But, I take full responsibility."

Incredulously and teary eyed... Wash shoots back, "Gāisǐ de suǒyǒu xíngxīng hé tàikōng rén! He will kill you. Am I sudden the only one who cares for you?!"

Near a week earlier, in Inara's shuttle...

Inara was standing over a muscular Alliance soldier.

His name was Ephraim. He had medium frontless sandy blond hair and was down to his light green shorts.

He was lying on the edge of her bed.

Inara was massaging a nerve cluster by the back of his neck as he was lying on his back.

The bed sheet seemed to be a wave of melted down faint red candles. Smoke from incense was all the cloudier.

With no hidden contempt... Ephraim muttered, "still hunting the same Independents for the same "unified peace". Not that the Dust Devils ever bother to wear one uniform."

Somewhat nervously... Inara asked, "Dust Devils?"

Ephraim groaned in pleasurable relief by Inara's hands.

Ephraim was saying, "thank you. I feel a world better."

With some mixed feelings... Inara was adding, "you're welcome. Would you prefer to talk now?"

Ephraim faintly nodded. But, he didn't go to get up either.

Inara moved her hands away.

Then... Ephraim was recollecting, "radicals who see arresting Private Declan and making a third generation military skiff as unforgiveable. They killed Lieutenant Quillian and many other good people in their way. Now, the Dust Devils are making it known by wave they'll blow up factories across the Verse if they go ahead with the AATSs."

He deeply sighed.

Teary eyed... Inara just stood there: Not wanting to interrupt the rest of his thought.

But, in his presence... She couldn't help but let a deep sigh escape from her lips.

After a bit... Ephraim continued, "I'm one of the special soldiers being sent out to not forgive: To bring something of a unified peace out of a always changing battlefield."

Inara was admitting solemnly, "I hope for peace as well Ephraim. But, I wish there wasn't any war."

Ephraim faintly chuckled. He was commenting, "don't we all in The Alliance?"

With a very faint smile... Inara was concluding, "don't we all in the universe."

Presently...

With very mixed feelings... Zoe explains, "you ain't understanding me, Wash. I...was aiming to take down The Alliance for good before they could shoot their military skiffs first. I were one of the Browncoats the Dust Devils asked for more weapons. But, I volunteered takin' it further with my money. Got them access codes, Graycoats, fake IDs, even custom rifles I designed to carry it out. Sniffle. I knew Mal wouldn't take kind to the idea: 'cause to him, it ain't war when they ain't shooting at you. I was going to keep it from him. But... Sniffle. It didn't work out as planned."

Four days earlier, off by the Eavesdown Docks...

The dust was all the dustier. The White Sun above was all the more blindingly bright.

Zoe was meeting with a former Companion police officer with medium dark brown curly hair, a silk brown sleeveless, dress, a gold stone necklace, and long gray boots.

Zoe was faintly smiling.

She was opening a faint red shipment crate to show her what's inside.

The Dust Devil disturbingly grinned.

For, inside...were hundreds of copper lined dusty brown repeating rifles with armor piercing shells.

Presently...

Very coldly... Mal says, "you're damn right it didn't, Corporeal."

Shook with it all... Wash murmurs, "oh god."

There's another nerve wracking silence.

Then... Slowly but surely... Mal lowers his shotgun.

Wash breathes a heavy sigh of relief. Zoe breathes a moderate sigh of relief.

Sounding somber now... Mal reflects, "crazy thing is plain murder didn't happen: Not the way I see it anyhow. I honest really hope there ain't to be a next time, Zoe: Cause then I will shoot you. I hate The Alliance too. But, you didn't even think to warn much anyone else 'side from me. Did you now?"

Zoe concludes firmly, "to your regret and mine, sir. I was careless. The money got too good."

Wash puts a sympathetic arm around her side. He kind of loudly sniffles.

Mal very faintly nods. He faintly sniffles.

Mal says, "it's good you can admit to it. It could have been one of Inara's friends in The Alliance, one of our contacts... Could have been another Browncoat caught in the line of fire."

After a bit... Mal decides, "you could still be part of my crew. But, you are no longer Corporal. Dong ma?"

Zoe finds it hard to look up.

She's a little teary eyed still. She heavily sighs.

Unwaveringly firm... Zoe concludes, "I ain't to be this careless next time. I still want to serve with you, sir."

Sounding a little better... Mal just says, "good. Stay with Wash. I'm goin' back to get Serenity."

Not feeling like saying much else... Zoe just says, "okay."

Mal kind of fast walks back to the bedroom door.

With some mixed feelings... Mal comments, "you been peerin' the whole gorram while."

Kind of awkwardly... Saffron and Jayne are standing out in the doorway: Ready with their most favorite guns.

Suddenly... Saffron faintly laughs.

With a faint smirk... She suggests, "please don't blame Jayne. I'll take the credit for worryin' about you."

Jayne faintly smirks to himself.

Mal annoyedly sighs.

He says, "let's go, Saffron."

He's already starting to walk down the hall as he does.

Soon... Mal and Saffron are walking out to the ASREV.

Mal starts piloting the ASREV back into the black. Saffron is sitting next to him in the co-pilot seat.

There's a nervous silence.

Surprisingly solemn... Saffron concludes, "you don't got to tell me, Malcolm. But...I understand. It must be hard on you: With you war buddy bonded."

Mal doesn't say much. But, he very faintly chuckles over it.

Saffron just very faintly smiles to herself.

As night is giving way to the dawn of day...

Serenity is docked in a mostly tan blue construction site styled warehouse, not far from the Evavesdown Docks.

Alliance agents haven't even been guarding Serenity more than a minute...when some loud explosions go off.

A hole is blown through the wall with some grenades.

Then... Mal's Flying Mule comes speeding in.

Mal stops the Flying Mule.

Mal draws out his shotgun. Saffron draws out her handgun.

One of the Alliance agents starts to call out, "stand down, or we will shoot!"

Mal glares. And, he says, "not the plan."

He speeds the Flying Mule one handed...right through several Alliance agents.

They double over on their heavily bruised sides. They're coughing violently.

Saffron creepily widely smiles. She remarks, "yeah. Now it's like old times."

With some loud choos... The several Alliance agents left shoot at them with gray pistols.

But... Most of the bullets hit the side of the speeding around Flying Mule instead.

With a loud choo and a moderately loud choo... Mal and Saffron shoot back.

All the Alliance agents fall dead, with hints of dark red liquid splatter.

Not long after...

Saffron and Mal have the Flying Mule in Serenity's cargo hold.

Mal is in the pilot seat in Serenity's cockpit. Saffron is sitting in the opposite seat from him.

They checked Serenity's systems. It's all in good condition.

Mal pilots Serenity out through the wide open warehouse garage styled door.

There's a calm silence.

Without even looking to the side... Mal comments firmly, "we still ain't married, Saffron."

A little put off... Saffron concludes, "I'm not exclusive and neither is Jayne. But, it's okay. Although I don't really understand why you would, you love Inara and not me."

Mal faintly chuckles. He kind of sarcastically says, "yeah. Good clearing up."

He briefly turns to her as he does.

Saffron rolls her eyes amusedly at him. She faintly smiles.

Serenity keeps on flying through the black...coming back out to a clear blue sky over Bellerophron.

Late that day, back in the Bellerophron Estate's living room...

Inara is sitting on the couch. Saffron is sitting on the other end.

Between them is a laminated flat light green folder filled with papers.

Really uneasy... Saffron asks, "I thought you really hate me. Now you're looking at me like I'm your new best friend. Just tell me: Why are you really here, Inara?"

All the while, Inara is smiling confidently.

Inara concludes, "well, as I'm soon to become Mal's first mate on Serenity..."

Inara suddenly deeply sighs. The smile fades from her face.

Inara admits, "it hurts for me to admit to. But, we're still in the middle of a Alliance crackdown. I looked. But...you're the best person we can turn to now."

With a very faint amused smile... Saffron adds, "really?"

With her returning confident smile... Inara highlights, "yes. We want compensation for our crew to get by for a month: Out of the five million Mal gave you. But, for certain, you get to keep sixty eight million credits. We want your help in arresting those federal officer bastards. Oh. And, it also looks like you don't have all the credits you require for your graduation from a secret life as a Companion...Verity."

A washing wave of mixed feelings floods through Saffron's teary eyes. The smile fades from her face.

Saffron exclaims lowly, "you Māmā dì dìyù! You got blackmail on me!"

Inara faintly chuckles at the first part. She says, "yes. But, it won't have to be for the first two things."

A little teary eyed still... Saffron murmurs under her breath, "oh god! What is the third thing?"

Inara explains, "two weeks with me for psychological observation under the appearance of applying to be a Companion: Even though it won't be to the Academy. Me and Mal still aren't sure about trusting you. I thought this was the best way we could know. He thought it was a good idea."

Saffron goes on, "augh! I'm actually okay with turning in those bastard Alliance guys. But... God: I hate this!"

Saffron nervously sighs into her hands.

After a bit... Saffron looks up.

Cuttingly... Inara says, "I know honey. But, how often do I get to play you?"

Saffron sharply glares back.

But, interestingly... Saffron says, "fine! I promised Jayne I won't go after his crew. That's why I haven't just taken you out. You'll get everything you want. Although, for the third thing...I have three easy conditions."

Inara looks somewhat shook by the first part. But, it seems short lived.

Inara wonders, "yes Saffron?"

Saffron proposes, "that this is just a one time thing. That you don't lock me in a fei-oo trash bin again. And... Faint sniffle. Please: You and Mal keep your psychological guffaw to yourselves."

A little uncertain... Inara concludes, "all right. We just made a deal. But...you sure I shouldn't even tell Jayne?"

Real nervous... Saffron insists, "please don't. If he knew it all... Sniffle! He'd look at me like Durran did."

Some silent tears fall from her face, despite her trying to hold them back with closed eyes.

Inara thinks out loud, "I understand. I won't tell him." Saffron says at a near whisper, "thank you."

Inara gets up.

She starts to walk out of the room. But, she just as quickly turns around with a hand out.

And... Inara says, "I'd still like that folder before I go. Please."

Saffron frustratedly sighs. But, the teariness in her eyes has started to dry up.

She takes back out a certain laminated folder she just hid from under the couch cushions.

She reluctantly hands it back to Inara.

With a faint smile... Saffron comments, "still...you can't blame a hot girl like me for tryin'."

Inara just rolls her eyes annoyedly back at Saffron before leaving the room.

That night, in Inara's shuttle...

Inara and Kaylee are sitting on Inara's couch. They're facing each other.

Kaylee heavily sighs. But, she isn't much teary eyed now.

Nervously... Kaylee wonders, "Inara...you sure I could still give him love proper? One day was all it took for our riches to be all gone."

Inara very faintly solemnly smiles. She points out, "I don't send a wave of Companion lessons to just any one, Kaylee. When that day comes, you'll be ready to. Believe me: I know you will."

Inara puts a sympathetic hand on hers as she does.

Kaylee faintly smiles. No more hints of a tear.

Kaylee says, "that's pretty of you to say, Inara."

Inara smiles brightly. She assures, "it's my pleasure, Kaylee."

Meanwhile, in a wide open pipe of bent full circle pipelines...

The wide open pipe looks out to stars in the night sky.

A downward dome of gray pipelines holds a jungle gym, full of spiraling around wide open pipes just like it.

No young folk are around this time of night. But, dried mucus and cobwebs lie here and there.

Jayne and Saffron are sitting on the edge of the wide open pipe above, looking out.

They're both sweaty some from playing around the pipes.

They very awkwardly smile and smirk. It's like bad news was coming near and they didn't want to see it.

Trying to lighten things more... Saffron asks, "how is Kaylee?"

Jayne smirks. He concludes, "she all right now. She don't like what ruttin' happened with her business. But, she's happy for helping folks with her business while it were runnin'."

Solemnly all a sudden... Saffron adds, "good."

Saffron sighs nervously. She gets teary eyed.

Uncomfortably... Jayne asks, "we got to talk now 'bout why you ran off?"

Saffron admits, "I'm really sorry. It was idiotic. Faint sniffle. I'm... Very faint laugh. I'm so used to getting out good on my own...I don't really think about it 'till you or Malcolm are looking at me like that."

Jayne comments offhandedly, "another thing to ruttin' watch out for. Faint laugh. Still..."

Sounding curious and a little better already all at once... Saffron wonders, "yeah gunny?"

She turns to face him as she does. The teariness in her eyes starts to dry up.

Jayne faintly grins. He reveals, "when I grown up, I dreamt of getting to be captain: Wearin' a fancible green and gold uniform, big damn ship, and plenty of women on it."

Saffron playfully smiles. She comments, "I'd love to be on that ship. Even if it's just playing parts with me as your lieutenant."

Jayne kind of creepily grins. He laughs.

They're soon pulling each other close. And, Saffron gets her arms wrapped around his side.

Jayne continues, "It were good 'nough with the crew you got. Least I thought it then. Faint laugh. Hell, when we were talking 'bout security codes with the Lassiter, I couldn't stop thinking on ya."

Saffron blushes a little. She adds, "thank you. That is touching."

Kind of awkwardly... Jayne concludes, "thanks. Today...there somethin' I ain't real saw before."

Lightly... Saffron wonders, "what is it, gunny?"

Jayne voices, "well...I thinking we might ain't need a crew. Faint laugh. Hell, we could run any...gorram ship."

Saffron grins wide. That is...until he sounds very nervous on the last part.

Sounding nervous too... Saffron kind of assures him, "I know: The bounty. Sniffle. We can't stay together one on one as flesh without gettin' caught. But, I know this: I love you. I never ever want to survive long without you. But... Faint laugh. But, if Malcolm can't find one, I will find a way to take all the bounties I can away. Hell, I will take over the whole ruttin' Alliance and run it to the ground if I got to!"

Jayne creepily grins on the last part.

But, for some reason... He suddenly starts looking very annoyed.

Before Saffron can say anything else... Jayne figures, "aw hell! At this here rate, the crew will be up and bringin' me out 'fore we can get sexed already."

Saffron laughs in amusement. She remarks, "all right gunny. Let's have ourselves a "wedding night"."

She undoes her bra right there. She lets it fall off the side of the wide open pipe.

Forgetting much else... They soon have their most favorite guns aimed at each other's heads while making out.

But, just before they start making out... Jayne thinks back to something Mal recently told him:

The arm of the Alliance could be gotten longer: Faces like ours. But, I know somethin' now.

Keeping Serenity flyin'... Keeping my crew together... Faint chuckle. That's the only fantasy I real need.

It ain't just from a place of wishes Jayne. It's working and hopin'...living for better days.

* * *

 _Loosely Written But Still Based On:_

The comic mini-series Better Days by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews

 _Post Wave Episode Disclaimer:_

Paper Trail of the Hollows is a made up title. Any resemblance of a pop culture reference is pretty coincidental.

* * *

Loading... Recovering from the Cortex...

Credit for the 2-parter pilot episode Dead or Alive for Can't Take the Sky From Us Goes To:

 _Even More Loosely Written But Still Based On(promise):_

The unaired Dead or Alive episode transcript by Cheryl Cain; but only never got into production because of Firefly's cancellation by Fox(tell 'em we ain't coming back, 2002 Fox executives trying to get Lost in Space instead)


	13. S2, Ep 3: Deck the Halls of Dōngjì

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Deck the Halls of Dōngjì:

 _Teaser_

Frosted over halls of black. Cold to the touch, but bizarrely not freezing to the skin of bare feet.

River is walking barefoot down the hall. Serenity is spelled in pinned red cloth patches on the wall in nails.

River wears a snowflake covered red and purple ribboned dress: Patterned like the wind gusts blowing through.

Large windows of bright red fiberglass. Growling and roaring.

Hints of Reavers tearing at the fiberglass. More and more cracks forming.

River gets teary eyed. She sobs.

River cries out, "they're all inside! Keep coming in. Sniffle! Make them stop!"

Several tears fall from her face. She doesn't really notice though.

She starts running down the halls.

The fiberglass shatters all around her. Painfully bright red like fireworks going off.

Growling and roaring.

Hints of cut up arms and legs past the fiberglass shards. But, it's all too easy to tell they're Reavers.

They're charging after her.

River runs for who knows how long.

She finally reaches a backstage door.

In a watery image... Serenity is flying over the door: Flying at high burn away from the White Sun.

Shots of Mal's face, Zoe's face, and Simon's face over the White Sun. They fade just as quick.

River is breathing hard.

She nearly collapses from exhaustion. She coughs hard.

Despite this... River holds on to part of the door for support.

She grabs the door handle.

She opens the door...releasing a stronger gust of wind and snow.

The Reavers let out wounded roars, growls, moans, and howls...as the wind and snow sweeps them away.

River breathes a heavy sigh of great relief.

Out of the waking nightmare...

River wakes up.

She finds herself at the door to the galley. It's half open.

Torn off pieces of red present wrapping cover the hall.

Still a little teary eyed... River faintly laughs to herself.

Mal is standing there.

He has had his shotgun drawn and ready. But, he's putting it away now.

He uncomfortably smirks to himself.

After a bit... Mal asks, "you okay now, darling? You got Simon and Kaylee awful worried."

River turns around. She looks straight at him.

River heavily sighs. She answers, "sorry. But... Sniffle. Not only a nightmare."

Mal gets shaky some at that. But, he tries hard to not show it on his face.

Mal realizes, "you saw in the future?"

River kind of slowly nods. She faintly sniffles again.

There's some fast footsteps coming from the other side of the half open door.

Simon is coming through the galley holding his med kit. Kaylee, Zoe, Book, and Jayne aren't far behind.

After just finishing setting a course... Wash is walking down from the cockpit to find out what just happened.

River figures, "it doesn't make sense yet. But, it is. It is."

Mal gulps nervously. For, he knows she's usually right about these things.

But, in a kind of strange glimmer of relief... He very faintly smiles.

And, picking up on his feelings... River briefly very faintly smiles back.

* * *

 _Act I_

Late that night...

Mal is standing in the cockpit by himself.

He's in his usual trousers and dark red undershirt.

He has his arms crossed. His face looks as dark as a dark beating heart.

After a bit... He then uncrosses his arms.

Mal kind of leans against the side of the cockpit.

He gets a little teary eyed. He heavily sighs.

St. Albans may snow most of the year. But, he knows too well what time of year it is.

Then... Wash comes in.

He's wearing a yellow and light blue swirled open buttoned shirt with palm trees on it and his favorite pants.

Wash looks somewhat nervous. He comments, "you're dreadful irritated."

Like it's obvious... Mal just says, "you know why, Wash. Don't go down this road with me."

He warningly glares as he does.

Wash puts his hands up wide by his sides.

Sounding nervous still... He adds, "okay Mal. For being honest...I don't feel so jolly either."

Hearing that... Mal's glare fades.

Wash puts his hands back down.

Mal asks in concern, "what's troublin' you?"

Wash heavily sighs.

After a bit... He points out, "Zoe won't even talk much to me, Mal. She's been off keeping to herself. I have every right to be troubled, and so do you."

Mal starts to ask, "why would we...?"

Then... More awkwardly... He adds, "ohh."

Wash adds, "yeah."

Real uncomfortable... Mal continues, "I ain't no gorram babysitter. But..."

A silent tear falls from his face. He heavily sighs.

Wash looks stunned. But, he doesn't point it out.

Mal admits, "we lost our riches 'cause of carelessness. Faint sniffle. I were supposed to keep my crew out of a peck of trouble. The arm of the Alliance is tighter now, and I couldn't stop it. I only let Kaylee have her Christmas party on my boat because I were thinking it would cheer up everyone else: Including Zoe. The hell with me!"

He starts to storm off.

Wash is standing at the doorframe, turning back his way.

Teary eyed some... Wash calls back, "Mal! Nobody blames you. I still don't, and I know you and Zoe."

Mal keeps walking. He is almost to the door to his bunk.

Agitatedly... Wash supposes, "fine! You say you knew. You still couldn't stop the wind coming. That's what you really don't want to see. Isn't it?"

Mal pauses...briefly turning to face Wash.

Solemnly... Mal reflects, "I ain't seen Zoe could be that damn careless. Then we all seen it. Faint uneasy chuckle. I'm sorry. But, I still ain't convinced it ain't my fault Wash."

He then goes down to his bunk...slamming the bunk door shut behind him.

Wash sighs heavily to himself.

He checks their course over the scanner readings.

Serenity's course is holding steady. Not much any ships passing by.

Wash heavily sighs to himself in mixed relief.

As late night gives way to late afternoon...

There may be a lingering chill. But, in the air, there's also a lighter and harmonious kind of chill.

It's the Dōngjì Holidays. The Alliance way of calling the winter holidays.

Hanukkah, Christmas Eve, the Dōngzhì Festival... It's all under the Dōngjì Holidays.

The only time of year The Alliance lets folk rich or not take a vacation from work.

Albeit compartmentalized through December, January, and February in 2 week time windows. But, in the Verse, even 2 weeks can feel like a gift from God or from the Jade Emperor.

There are more lights on across Serenity. And, with the lights on, plenty is clear to see.

Gold tinsel, bushy green wreaths, hanging glittery gray and red origami beads River made, and little paper Chinese lanterns cover the galley, hall, and cargo hold.

A Christmas tree of evergreen is sitting in the cargo hold. A extremely astronomically accurate origami reddish star is decorated on top. It's in a Chinese vase like tree pot: Milky white with dark brown and a red Chinese dragon.

Seven presents are around the Christmas tree. A present in reddish brown and dark blue striped wrapping paper is taped back together with clear tape.

Credits Inara got for the crew for the next month were originally partly going to count toward a Christmas feast.

But, Book came back with fresh grown food and turkey for a feast from the abbeys he's been to. So, the crew could afford a Christmas tree and quite a bit of decorations.

Meanwhile... Inara has been away, continuing to see high paying clients.

With the latest ongoing Alliance crackdown, she wasn't taking any chances yet for coming back to Serenity.

Inara's gift to the crew was she could go out and buy them eight presents of their choice: No worries of a Alliance crackdown getting in the way to be had.

Kaylee was quick to suggest a Secret Giftstuffs drawing to try to make it more fun and easy.

Inara was very happy with the idea. She was also happy for the honor of doing it out of a fancy black top hat.

So was everyone else: Except for Mal of course.

Jayne didn't see much sense to it at first. But, he couldn't turn down Inara and Kaylee for long.

Inara insisted seeing them happy is the best gift they can give her. But, she also welcomed any of them to tell her what gift he or she would want to give her in exchange for owing her credits later if he or she really wanted to.

A little over a week earlier, in the cockpit...

Mal was sitting kind of uncomfortably by a Cortex screen by the control panels.

In spite of some static from the live feed... He and Inara were talking over the Cortex.

Inara was borrowing the modified 2-way radio and the newer modified Dedicated Source Box on Saffron's end. But, fancy dark blue walls with upside down glass umbrella lights hinted at the full truth of her being there.

Inara was in a quilt styled light and dark red sleeved dress. She was wearing a pair of small light blue decorative Chinese pin like earrings and her necklace of yellowish orange stone sized beads.

Mal insisted, "I appreciate it, Inara. But, there's no need goin' to the trouble of gettin' me a gift."

Inara deeply sighed.

Mal looked more uncomfortable. He was finding it hard to look up.

With some mixed feelings... Inara was saying, "Mal...I know how you feel about God. But, if you don't at least try to look as though you're enjoying yourself, Kaylee and Zoe are going to be very disappointed. After all, wasn't the whole idea of doing this for Kaylee so you could help the crew be happy?"

Mal sighed heavily.

Then... More calm all a sudden... He was quick to add, "you're right. But..."

He was looking up as he did.

Inara was wondering, "yes?"

Mal was bringing up, "you should've let me finish. I have a idea to carry on through in a business like manner."

Inara looked a little stunned.

Inara was saying, "all right Mal. How would you be carrying it in such a good manner?"

Mal was supposing, "I offer my chance up and someone else could much as take it. In "the spirit of Alliance kept holidays", I thought that were mighty generous."

Inara rolled her eyes.

Incredulously... Inara shot back, "oh my god, Malcolm Reynolds. You are impossible to please!"

Mal got a nervous look in his eyes. He gulped real nervously.

Just as quickly though... Inara faintly chuckled.

Inara was admitting, "even though you can be... You're right: That is really generous of you."

Sounding a little better already... Mal was adding, "thank you kindly."

Inara was saying, "you're welcome."

They both very faintly smiled.

Presently...

The galley is busy with the sounds of Book, Kaylee, Zoe, and River doing kitchen prep and cooking.

Fortunately, River isn't running around in a panic. No loud crashes or screaming is heard either.

Meanwhile... Mal and Inara are talking on the Cortex again.

Inara deeply sighs as she shakily stands there.

But... The fancy dark blue walls aren't shown on Inara's end anymore.

Somewhat nervous... Mal brings up, "your "psychological schoolin'" with Saffron weren't good none on you."

A little teary eyed... Inara admits, "no Mal. Faint sniffle. It wasn't."

Mal moderately sighs. He asks, "you want to talk on it?"

Despite some shakiness still... Inara says, "yes."

She closes her eyes, trying to hold back some tears. But, a tear falls from her face still.

Somberly... Inara admits, "I...I'm honestly less sure if I hate her. In my time with her, she hasn't tried to hurt me or turn anyone else in for a bounty. I kept checking without telling her."

Mal looks confused.

Somewhat nervous... He says, "so maybe we can much as really trust her now. Why are you gettin' worked up in this conversation?"

Inara opens her eyes.

There's a nervous silence.

After a bit... Inara continues, "she has many personalities...or at least has taught herself to keep appearances up to very much have them. That usually means someone is spiritually and psychologically hurt deeply. Sniffle! I still really don't know if she has to get many things out from inside to be spiritually well, if she was abused before trying to just survive the only way she wanted to and knew of...or if she was really always that trying. Hard sniffle! I thought it wouldn't be complicated now. And now, it's even more complicated. Sniffle! I should withdraw the question. But, I hate that in itself Mal. I don't even know if she'll have episodes...like River."

Getting a little teary eyed himself... Mal gulps nervously.

Mal faintly sniffles. He concludes, "Inara, I ain't all manner of sure neither. So far though...it looks like she ain't. Faint chuckle. She seemed mighty together in the brain: Even when she was holin' herself up alone back there."

Thinking back to some of River's scarier episodes... Inara very faintly smirks.

With mixed feelings... Inara says, "thank you Mal. That does help."

Mal adds, "you're welcome."

The teariness in their eyes start to dry up.

Quick to change the conversation... Inara wonders, "and how are you on the Dōngjì Holidays?"

Mal very faintly chuckles.

With mixed feelings for whole other reasons... Mal reasons, "good as I can. Very faint sniffle. Hours before appearin' 'fore God and Hell for my crew to be happy and keep flying. You sure we'll make it out?"

Inara can't help but chuckle loudly.

Mal warningly glares.

When she sees him glaring at her... Inara stops chuckling.

She gulps nervously some.

After a bit... Inara apologizes, "I'm sorry. I... Faint chuckle. I honestly think you're worrying too much over the Dōngjì Holidays. I know it's hard for you Mal. But, please: Try not to worry."

Mal's expression softens.

Sounding a bit better... Mal says, "thanks. But...it's kinda hard not to when we have a impossible job tonight."

Inara faintly smirks. She sharply recalls, "it was because of my arrangement you have this job. River will wave buzz Alliance security long enough before they notice. You and me know it won't be impossible for you."

Solemnly... She adds, "just please Mal. Please be careful. You never really worry about yourself. But, I do."

Mal faintly smiles. He says, "it's nothing. I appreciate havin' things go according to plan. That includes still being captain of my crew on my own damn boat."

He has his hands out to his side casual like as he does.

Inara faintly chuckles.

She faintly beams back.

Inara brings up, "well...I have been giving a lot of thought to how I could come back. And, you'll be pleased to know a criminal crackdown doesn't have to go away for it to be possible."

A little stunned... Mal realizes, "really now?"

Inara nods.

Inara explains, "under Guild law, I would file papers necessary for a legal marriage as a personal Companion to a client."

With a tense glare all a sudden... Mal asks, "so you're seeing someone else now?"

Nervously... Inara mostly assures, "no Mal! Why would I tell you it's only a legal marriage?"

Mal moderately sighs in frustration.

But, then... He very faintly nods in acknowledgment.

He figures, "right. Right. Just didn't sound plainly is all."

Sounding a little embarrassed... Inara solemnly concludes, "I'm sorry. You're also right."

Sounding better... She continues, "then I could limit the number of clients I'm seeing to five or six. The Guild might let someone with good standing still have six. But, I would choose to see three or four so that I could be your first mate on Serenity. The second point of having only a legal marriage to a client is someone I know will cover for me for when I am on Serenity. If The Alliance asks questions, he would persuade them to leave."

With lingering mixed feelings over his nightmare... Mal tries to smile widely.

He concludes, "good wiles. Thank you, Inara. Really...I do appreciate it."

For a moment, Inara seems nervous.

But, she's very quick to hide it in front of him.

Inara beams. And, she says, "you're welcome, Mal."

Early that night...

Jayne is sitting by a Cortex screen by the control panels. At the moment, the galley is quiet.

Jayne is wearing his gray T-shirt with a pistol and some Chinese characters for Troublemaker on it.

There's some static from the live feed. But, the picture is clear enough.

Saffron is wearing a low cut long sleeved lace black dress, with revealing spots all over between the darkish red flower patterns woven in the lace. Her dark purple bra is seen under some of the revealing spots. The bottom part of her dress is a layer of black fabric with no revealing spots, cut down to her ankles.

But, yet... Saffron looks more than a little nervous.

Confused and somewhat nervous all at once... Jayne concludes, "I ain't figurin' you lying. But, you look like you gone through hell with there ain't no real reason."

Saffron moderately sighs.

Saffron spells it out, "I'm really sorry to let you down Jayne. But, it's true: I don't like Inara much."

Jayne looks shook.

Sounding off... Jayne questions, "how come? I ain't seen much wrong with..."

Saffron scoffs. She asks, "why?"

She laughs kind of loudly.

But, before Jayne can get all angry... Saffron explains, "please don't be angry. I know you don't, and I get well why. Hell, I've played as her for you. Faint sniffle. But..."

Saffron gets teary eyed. She is nervously shaking.

Saffron gets it all out, "...she's a Alliance school teacher! Scolding me and usually telling me how to act! Sniffle! You know, Alliance Intelligence crap waits to send a Operative in a Alliance prison on a bail job. Very faint laugh. Durran sent a wave to me offering me freedom if I came back for psychological testing crap. But, I shot it down easy. But, Inara... Sniffle. We dealt even hands of cards to each other. I thought we could go on being more decent now. Two weeks trying hard not to go after her just 'cause I love you, and I still thought she would. What the Tā mā dì dìyù did I do to her?!"

A little over a week earlier...

Jayne and Inara were talking over the Cortex.

With a tense glare... Inara was warning, "no. You're not giving her nudes of Mal!"

Inara looked very uncomfortable over the Cortex.

Jayne was sitting by a Cortex screen by the control panels. His feet were up over some control panels.

Jayne was quick to take up Mal's offered up chance for a gift...and Inara was already regretting it.

Jayne pouted. He was saying, "aw come on Inara! He don't real care if he were."

Off the Cortex screen... Saffron was heard saying, "ohh! That's sweet of you Jayne. I love you."

Jayne grinned.

Inara looked tempted to turn around and glare at Saffron. But, she took a deep breath instead.

Inara muttered under her breath, "yes. Mal does. It's too complicated for you to understand."

Saffron was then standing closer to the edge of the Cortex screen so she could be seen.

With her left hand out to the side and mostly open... Saffron thought out loud, "I got ourselves a better idea."

Inara slightly turned back to her.

Saffron was grinning like a peeping schoolgirl.

Irritatedly... Inara was kind of wondering, "what is it Saffron? You might as well tell."

Casually... Saffron was suggesting, "a foursome?"

Jayne was laughing hard some.

Inara looked down. She deeply sighed.

Inara was calling out, "merciful Brahma! Why are you testing me like this?"

She was taking some deep breaths.

Solemnly... And, a little teary eyed... Saffron was murmuring, "oh god. Did I just hurt Inara?"

Sounding nervous... Jayne was trying to insist, "naw. She just having it rough this day."

Saffron very faintly smiled. She faintly nodded.

With a tense glare... Inara was looking up.

Inara sarcastically shot back, "yeah. I wonder why that would be."

Jayne and Saffron kind of heatedly glared back.

Presently...

Dead serious... Jayne points out, "'cause you turned on Mal. Now I ain't took it hard. But..."

Some silent tears fall from Saffron's face.

After a bit though... The teariness in her eyes starts to dry up.

She nervously sighs. She blushes.

Sounding embarrassed... Saffron realizes, "ohh yeah. Good point."

Before Jayne can say anything... Saffron solemnly says, "thank you Jayne. Really. I kind of forgot."

Sounding better... And, with a faint smirk... Jayne just says, "sure."

There's a brief awkward silence.

Saffron suddenly faintly smiles. She wonders, "oh. And, speaking of forgetting... Faint laugh. Go on: Tell me about Stitch. Please."

Looking shook for a whole other reason... Jayne mutters under his breath, "gorramit."

He heavily sighs. He gets a little teary eyed.

Before Saffron can say anything... He continues, "it ain't you. But... It eats at me."

Delicately... Saffron says, "Jayne, I... I already know so much about you. Very faint laugh. Hell, you know my troublin' temptation for Reavers if they ever got on me. What in the Verse could tear me away from you long?"

After a bit... Jayne reluctantly says, "aw hell. How could I hold a damn thing from you?"

Saffron smiles. She mostly assures, "good. Go on with your story. I'm here for you."

Not long after...

Teary eyed... Saffron reflects, "oh god. Sniffle. That's got to have been hard on you: Stitch coming back from the dead remindin' you of that day. I'm sorry that mudder was killed."

Real nervous... Jayne admits, "yeah. I am."

There's a nervous silence.

Saffron moderately sighs. She reflects, "Jayne...I know you blame yourself for his death. But, I don't. Not at all. Sniffle. You didn't know that thoughtful HOE-tze duh PEE-goo would go throw himself down in front of you. Jaynestown was a part you had to play for yourself to know better so it won't happen again. In life...there are parts we don't want to play. But, we still get stuck with playing them sometimes."

Jayne faintly smiles. Saffron very faintly smiles back.

The teariness in their eyes start to dry up.

Solemnly... Jayne says, "for advice, that don't eat at me so. Thanks."

Saffron says, "you're welcome Jayne. Besides... Faint laugh. I'd love to see that statue of you. But, it'd be hard to get myself to sell it. Hell, I'd be very tempted to pray to it."

Jayne faintly laughs over the last part.

Saffron brings up, "you know...I never really wanted to sell the Lassiter."

Jayne looks stunned.

Jayne comments, "you know, for people like us, that's crazy talk."

Saffron raises a eyebrow. She looks amused.

Saffron admits, "I knew a guy that could get the Lassiter put in a little museum on Persephone. Already had a half a dozen bought tickets for admission just to look at it before I went off with Monty."

Jayne is bent over, laughing hard.

Completely unphased... Saffron figures, "yeah. I thought you'd feel better knowing that."

Jayne looks up.

With a amused smirk... Jayne comments, "damn right I do. You really thought it could work?"

Saffron shrugs.

With a smirk... She answers, "maybe not for long. But, it were going to be a one woman run like hell to being rich with all that money."

Jayne highlights simply, "well, now you are."

With a kind of wide grin... And, somewhat somberly... Saffron reflects, "yeah. I love money. But, it doesn't feel as good without you here. I know you also wanted to be with your mother on the holidays. But, when we can again be one on one as one flesh, we'll make up so much time. We'll enjoy our large pounds of money together."

And, with a smirk... Jayne adds, "damn right we will."

Not long after, in the galley...

There's strawberries, mashed potatoes, blueberries, a steaming hot turkey with stuffing with hints of apple, steaming hot dumplings, wine, shined up liquor bottles... Even two silver bowls of egg, red dragon, Serenity, Father Christmas, and candy cane themed tangyuan.

Everyone is eating, talking, and seemingly all smiles. Only Inara isn't because of not being onboard at this time.

Just before they ate, Book led a silent prayer for Inara.

In mixed frustration, Mal almost found himself praying himself.

But, no one else saw because they were praying with their eyes closed.

Zoe is wearing her usual garb: Brown coat and all.

Simon is wearing his formal black suit over his dark blue vest and white shirt for the special occasion. He has on black pants too.

Jayne, Mal, Zoe, and Kaylee smirk to themselves over that. For, he's the only one that is.

Kaylee is wearing a bright blue low cut top, with snow falling over a cave in a mountainside on it.

Zoe and Jayne are noticeably more quiet than usual. Mal is as quiet as he usually is.

Simon insisted River is too young to drink. River half heartedly agreed.

Just from reading everyone's feelings... River already is feeling echoes of the aftereffects.

But, River keeps telling a worried Simon she'll be fine.

Ironically, the echoes of liquor passing through the body are calming to her.

She may mostly feel drunk. But, she can easily tell a lot of what she's seeing isn't real.

She's smiling to herself: Knowing the grassy gardens, pink skies, goblin like fairies, flower covered castle grounds, and fish people standing upright on their tails in blue wavy tuxedoes are all in her head.

River cheerfully tells stories of them between bites of food and water. But, she first points out it's just stories.

When she first points it out... Everyone looks very stunned.

But, faint smiles and bigger smiles fill the galley.

Jayne and Zoe faintly laugh. Kaylee, Mal, Book, and Wash faintly chuckle.

But, when he starts to hear about the fish people... Jayne's amusement is real short lived.

One of River's stories is of her rescuing woodland critters from a deep freeze from a winter storm with a gray ship catalyzer modeled power drill and a giant candy cane propped heating lamp.

Another of her stories is of going out to a bowl ball with a fish man.

Her human girl best friends think she's crazy.

They even lock her up in a dark closet to try to keep her from endangering herself.

But, River gets the last laugh.

She makes a lock pick and a waterproof robotic hydraulics powered fish suit out of things in the closet. Then, she slips out at night to dive right in to the giant water bowl at the bowl ball.

After dinner...

Book knew Mal would want to have no prayers out loud at the table.

He got sheet music for Christmas carols on parchment paper for everyone to read to themselves.

Mal faintly smiles in appreciation of the thought. Book faintly smiles back across the table.

After some swapping... Most everyone finds a carol to like.

Jayne pockets his to read later. He knew Mal wouldn't want him reading it out loud.

Kaylee and Wash are a little disappointed. But, it was nothing Kaylee's Christmas skit couldn't help resolve.

It's called Can You Hear Serenity Whisperin'?

A glittery but very accurate long paper backdrop of Serenity's cockpit hangs by glued on metal fishing hooks. On it, the Black goes up past the cockpit.

It hangs from the railing of the catwalk in the cargo hold.

Kaylee and River are in gray mechanic jumpsuits for the parts they're playing.

Jayne is pulling out a light wood guitar: With a black bar around the faint black rimmed kind of wide center hole, white guitar strings, and a black headstock holding it all together.

He's sitting right next to the backdrop.

Everyone else brought out their chairs from the galley to come sit down and watch.

Jayne looks solemn all a sudden.

Surprisingly... Jayne starts to lightly play solemn instrumental music on his guitar.

Around the cockpit backdrop... River and Kaylee are fast walking to and fro, turning in the invisible screws and putting in invisible parts.

All the while... They sing:

 _ **We had gone out to the Black.**_

 _ **Fretted 'cause we saw The Alliance robots and hired guns comin' after.**_

 _ **Ain't sure we'd come out good. But, we carry on good 'nough after.**_

 _ **We got each other to fix us up and keep on goin', no matter none what's goin' on.**_

 _ **Can you hear Serenity whisperin'?**_

 _ **Can you hear her engine parts warmin' up and coolin' off?**_

 _ **Ain't real bad fixin' her up good.**_

 _ **Treat her shiny, she'll keep flyin' up with a good mood.**_

 _ **The Black ain't so damn black on Serenity. Lights always come on like Christmas.**_

 _ **We got each other to fix us up and keep goin', no matter none come what happen.**_

 _ **Can you hear Serenity whisperin'?**_

 _ **Can you hear her warmin' up sounds?**_

 _ **Ain't real bad fixin' her up good.**_

 _ **Treat her shiny, she'll keep flyin' up with a good mood.**_

 _ **We fix each other all up for good flyin'. How shiny!**_

The solemn music stops playing.

Jayne finds himself brought to near tears. But, he faintly smiles.

Mal, Book, Wash, Zoe, and Simon clap enthusiastically in their seats.

They're brought to near tears. Even Mal is.

But, they're all faintly smiling bittersweetly.

Kaylee bows big. River bows gracefully like she's in ballet class.

They're faintly teary eyed themselves.

But, they both smile wide as they look up: Back out to the crew and their clapping.

As late night starts to kind of slowly come...

Jayne's guitar is back in his bunk. Kaylee and River are back in their clothes from earlier.

Serenity's cargo ramp is opened up...on the surface of the moon Xiaojie.

It's very reminiscent of the Earth-That-Was. But, there isn't green grass: Only brown under the winter snow.

A continental expanse of deserts is between three almost ice sheet like continents of sparkling white very gradually slanted stone. Chinese and Japanese pagodas, great wall like towers of sparkling white stone with columns of security cameras down them, and Middle East styled stone houses line most of the stone carved roads and streets.

But, with this being the Dōngjì Holidays... Most everyone on the Core Planets and moons is out for fun.

Mal, Kaylee, Jayne, and Zoe are heading out down the cargo ramp.

Mal is seeming to be the last one to head out.

But, just before he could... He hears a familiar voice, "not good not to bring me. Faint sniffle. See it too clear."

Mal turns around.

Suddenly... River is standing in front of him: Looking down some.

Mal looks startled.

River is a little teary eyed. But, she very faintly smiles knowingly.

Mal nervously gulps some, trying to hide his startlement.

Mal realizes, "in the future now."

Somberly... River acknowledges, "yes. Faint sniffle. I wish kind of didn't can't not feel."

Awkwardly... Mal ties to argue, "but I... But, what of Simon? He ain't gonna..."

Fast to interrupt his train of thought... River uncomfortably admits, "I took some of his things for biologically fixin'. Finds them after okay. Very faint chuckle. Hard to worry what he don't see behind. Are you?"

And, from a closer look... Mal catches hints of some small surgical tools in her closed hand.

Mal looks incredulous. He can't help but chuckle some.

Mal then solemnly smiles.

He comments, "you still ain't quite right. But, if it mean protectin' my crew..."

River puts a sympathetic hand on his.

River foretells, "yes. One gets shot before the hall of winter! Sniffle! Hurt get up again. Don't wish it."

Mal looks fairly shook by that.

Solemnly... Mal says, "so do I."

Then... Mal says, "okay River. Let's go."

River very faintly nods.

Then... They walk down the ramp together...holding hands like a father to a young daughter.

Not long after, on the continental expanse of deserts of Xiaojie...

Mal, Kaylee, River, Jayne, and Zoe kind of slowly walk between twin great wall like towers. They're wearing their winter coats.

But, over the Cortex... Black and white security footage shows them with big overcoats, cowboy hats, and hints of gruffness and facial hair under their hats.

Past several great wall like towers, a Alliance carnival among several are easily seen in the dim light of night.

All kinds of folk have been riding in and out on rickshaws and horse drawn Conestoga wagons. They are all bundled up: Wearing their near white red and brownish yellow overcoats and fluffy fur lined leather winter coats.

Big white sheet tents with flags of The Alliance all over, white starred blue concession stands, and fancible round wood tables and chairs aplenty. Many folk sitting at tables, eating Blue Sun themed tangyuan and turkey and drinking eggnog and wine.

Stark gray and purple painted game booths decorated in silver crescents. Hung down Chinese lanterns around.

Some have people running the games behind the booths. Some have dark gray computer screens and Chinese compass styled control panels checkered black, red, blue, black, and sharp yellow with gold Chinese characters.

Christmas trees from tent to tent. Green and yellow wires with Christmas lights strung between.

Strung up Chinese lanterns mostly transparent red and mostly transparent green. Mostly transparent green Chinese lanterns hold lit Hanukah menorahs, Christmas scented candles of red and green, and Kwanza Kinaras.

Knife jugglers. Apple jugglers. Freestyle meteor performers wearing flameproof gray gloves spinning and juggling rustic very dark brown lit fire meteors around their arms, shoulders, and legs.

Folk happily taking in the festivities, laughing, and talking solemnly among themselves. Barkers calling to folk far and near to sell Alliance flags, holiday themed tangyuan, kind of torn up quilted dresses they're aching to get rid of, mystery very dark blue and sharp red chests with gold locks, and who knows what else from their wooden carts.

Neon lit billboards of mostly bright red, orange, blue, and white displayed over sideshow fiberglass wall booths. They're as big as entire rooms and look like wooden stages from inside.

With so many restorations of lost works of art, movies, and so on... These sideshows are kind of in name only: Reenactments of sideshows from many many years ago, costumes and all.

All Alliance sideshows though have trailer like wheeled bright white hall sections in between. They open the doors to wheeled in backstage dressing room sections so the performers can get into costume without being seen.

There's neon lit blue and red Ferris wheels, tilt-a-whirls with beer barrel styled seats, blue to sharp yellow roller coasters with white canvas covers and shuttle like engines to speed down the spiraling metal tracks, and a corn maze with retractable fiberglass roofs for extremely well kept wheeled domed dirt covered greenhouses over the desert land.

With mixed feelings... Mal tells Zoe to go keep a eye out with Jayne in case someone is looking to shoot them.

Zoe is tempted to comment. But, she just firmly nods.

She's a little teary eyed as she does.

Mal starts to ask in concern, "Zoe? You...?"

With a sharp glare... Zoe insists, "I'm okay, sir. Let's just do the job and go."

Despite being a little teary eyed... Mal drops the matter.

Zoe kind of storms off, disappearing behind one of the tents.

Obliviously... Jayne calls out, "hey! Wait for me!"

He fast walks after Zoe just to keep up.

And, Zoe is thinking to herself:

 **I ain't a corporal now. I took full responsibility.**

 **But...I have to be demoted further to scout with Jayne?!**

 **It seems Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds don't care if I ain't or am cannon fodder though.**

 **Sniffle!**

Kaylee, Mal, and River nervously walk past a sharp yellow roller coaster.

Nervously... Kaylee can't help but ask, "captain...what's wrong with Zoe?"

Mal heavily sighs.

With mixed feelings... He starts to say, "Kaylee... Zoe has been takin' it..."

Then... River sees a freestyle meteor performer.

River smiles wide. She starts to go, "shiny fire! Can I...?"

With a hand still holding hers... Mal sharply pulls her away.

Some of the crowd looks their way.

Kaylee fast walks alongside Mal and River. But, she looks rattled some.

Mal whispers harshly, "we ain't here to play! No touching fire meteors."

River's smile fades. She blushes, kind of embarrassed.

Calm again all a sudden... River whispers back, "sorry. No touching. Too crowded."

Much less harshly... Mal adds, "yeah. It is."

Kaylee was about to say something. Instead, she breathes a nervous sigh of relief.

Trying to think of something else... Kaylee catches sight of a nearby Alliance sideshow.

Kaylee laughs kind of loudly.

Mal starts to ask, "Kaylee. What...?"

In complete disbelief... Kaylee says, "wow. Is that really a Reaver behind that glass?"

From behind the fiberglass... A Reaver is holding up a torch out of a wood beam.

The Reaver has unkempt long brown hair, rags of clothes, body hair by several inches and deep dark red cuts randomly all over, a grotesque almost pig like nose of decayed snot and dried dark red liquid, burn marks randomly around the eyes, and a very dark red mouth with crude needle points holding wide open a grin of real grimy teeth.

Hints of sticking down body parts are seen hung up by chains in a dark corner, over a gone out wood campfire.

The Reaver angrily growls at another in the dark. It hurls the torch at the other.

The other Reaver shrieks...as fire sprinklers very easily put out the flames.

Mal very faintly chuckles. He points out, "no. Not really Kaylee. No Reaver would ever let themselves get caught alive. They'd soon as eat their own flesh than see themselves roasted for someone's interrogatin'."

Apparently, some Alliance sideshows have even become plays with artistic license. Plays of Reavers, physical freaks struggling to be let go, and woes of unlicensed whores are popular: For both Alliance folk and Browncoats.

Kaylee starts to get teary eyed.

With very mixed feelings... She murmurs, "that's real sad captain. Sniffle! It's really hard to imagine."

A little teary eyed... Mal looks solemnly at her.

He's about to say something...when he notices some Alliance police officers coming.

A Alliance police captain calls out, "Malcolm Reynolds, River Tam...you are requested to stand down by law!"

River and Kaylee look real stunned in their direction.

Frustratedly... Mal mutters under his breath, "gorramit!"

* * *

 _Act II_

Mal starts to run. Kaylee is running right behind him.

But, suddenly... Kaylee realizes, "captain! Where is River?!"

Mal and Kaylee stop by the side of a tent.

They have worried looks on their faces.

But, then... River lightly pulls on Kaylee's winter coat.

River strangely looks amused.

Still worried sounding... Kaylee starts to ask, "River? What is...?!"

River is quick to tell them, "not arresting. They're requesting."

Mal looks confused.

Just as quickly though... He looks coldly at the several Alliance police officers.

From a closer look... The Alliance police captain has medium black hair under his stark gray cap, a gruffish black beard, and a twirly black mustache like for a toy soldier on Christmas.

The Alliance police just caught up to them. But, they're not pulling out sonic rifles either.

With a suddenly more rounded cheeriness to his voice... The Alliance police captain brings up, "I understand how you could be uneasy, Malcolm Reynolds. But, you're not bound by law tonight. I'm Police Captain Hollings."

Kaylee's expression is sunnier. But, Mal doesn't look at all convinced.

Reading the officers's thoughts... River reveals, "desperation for draining well. Don't want big red men to see."

Police Captain Hollings raises a eyebrow.

Warily... He concludes, "reports didn't say she's a reader. But, in a way of speaking...yes."

Mal bluntly asks, "can you conjure up a terrible compellin' reason for this "civilized" request for us?"

Any hint of cheeriness from Police Captain Hollings's voice fades. He pinpoints, "several folk are missing. We heard Mayer cry out for Reynolds...before he was missing. We think he was kidnapped. Thought you could shed some light on it. We'll keep quiet about you appearing. We'll even pay you."

Kaylee, Mal, and River look wide eyed.

But... Mal very faintly chuckles on the last part.

Mal very faintly smirks. He remarks, "must be Christmas. Why are you this desperate and twitchy?"

Police Captain Hollings mutters under his breath, "for Christ's sake, the whole Verse seems to have picked this mid-month for vacation. We're the only officers for miles. And yes: We are desperate! Now will you take the job?"

Mal kind of loudly chuckles.

Real annoyed... Kaylee scolds, "captain!"

The Alliance police officers look real annoyed.

Before they can add anything though... Mal says, "okay. We'll take you up on it."

Everyone else looks relieved.

That is...except for a violently groaning River.

Teary eyed... Kaylee calls out, "River?!"

River is lying bunched up on her side, clutching her side.

She's shaking violently some. If it wasn't for mostly still feeling mostly drunk, she'd be screaming.

Kaylee and Mal crouch down to check on River.

Police Captain Hollings and his officers just stand there, watching in concern.

With some violent groaning in between... River says, "it's not what...you think. Feel Zoe."

Mal gulps nervously.

Meanwhile...

In a fiberglass wall of a Alliance sideshow booth... Some junk ship parts are lying there.

The crowd has gone from the sideshow.

Over loud cheers and computer simulated guns firing on game booths... Zoe shoots the fiberglass wall in some.

With several carefully shot in bullet holes... She jump tumble charges in through the then breaking in glass.

Zoe soon gets up upright.

She briefly bends over, picking up a kind of rusted over metallic silver cockpit frame ship part.

Thinking back to the job... Zoe considers out loud, "hm. Looks like one of...Mayer's."

Then... She notices Mayer's unconscious body under the ship parts.

For, under the ship part she just picked up... His head is lying there: With messy medium black hair.

Some Reaver costumed people are circling around the sideshow booth...armed with all too slick black L1A1 SLR with L2A2 SUIT 4x scopes.

Not very far away... Jayne is a little out of breath, yet still trying to catch up to Zoe.

But, when he sees the armed imposters... Jayne gets real tense.

He's pushing his way past the crowd.

A wave of angry complaints and somewhat loud cries.

Dead set on looking ahead... Jayne breaks into a run.

He's drawing out his AKMSU as he does, ready to fire.

One armed imposter stands by the broken in fiberglass wall. He aims his modified black L1A1 SLR for Zoe.

He laughs wildly some as he does.

With a loud choo... A shot is fired.

Simultaneously... Jayne run jumps in front of the incoming shot.

The bullet hits him instead.

He groans violently some...as he lands hard on his side on the ground.

Some dark red liquid drips from far left under his shoulder.

But, just as quickly... Jayne from the ground shoots the guy.

With brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter... The guy falls dead.

Jayne is breathing hard some. But, he faintly smirks in satisfaction.

Hearing the shots... Zoe drops the ship part in her hands.

A Reaver costumed impostor is coming out of the bright white door in back.

She's laughing wildly some.

She's stepping onto the sideshow stage, drawing out her modified black L1A1 SLR.

Zoe looks fairly stunned and shook at the mental image before her.

But... She quickly duck tumbles away from her.

She's crouched down behind some unconscious fake bloody corpse props stacked on top of each other.

She's drawing out her custom made rifle.

Jayne starts to get up...only for a fourth armed imposter to come from the back and punch him out.

The two other armed imposters still standing are closing in on Zoe.

Zoe gets up.

She run charges around the corner, shooting.

With some loud choos... Both armed imposters closing in shoot at her.

The first armed imposter screams.

He drops his modified black L1A1 SLR.

He's doubling over and falling over, clutching his stomach where Zoe shot him.

Brief flashes of dark red liquid and very dark brown liquid are seen.

With a carefully aimed shot and a loud choo... The third armed imposter fires a shot.

Zoe misses the second armed imposter...when she goes down.

She violently hits the floor from the impact.

Zoe is groaning violently and violently coughing some on her side. She swears in hard to hear Chinese.

Her vision is blurry some.

Before she can try to move... The second armed imposter injects the side of her head with a hypodermic needle.

A very dark greenish red liquidated powder goes down through the needle.

Zoe shakes violently. She groans violently.

Back with River...

After reading Zoe's thoughts... River sits up.

Despite her teary eyes... She seems physically okay: Almost like it didn't happen.

Some bittersweet tears fall from Kaylee's face.

Kaylee hugs River close.

With a very faint smile... River leaves a comforting hand on hers.

Kaylee sniffles hard.

Dead serious... And, in a low tone... Mal presses, "where the gorram hell is Zoe?!"

Mostly assuringly... River insists, "it's okay. Came to help Zoe get up again. Faint sniffle. We should hurry."

Mal and Kaylee very faintly smile at the last part.

Meanwhile... River has already been tracing some columns of boxes in the desert sand with her free hand.

Police Captain Hollings is quick to point to some of them.

He realizes, "those are halls behind the Alliance sideshows. They're easy to move in squares."

More coldly... Mal just figures, "let's go."

River has just finished tracing a line: From where they are with a small circle to a certain column of boxes.

When they get to a roughly backwards C shaped bright white hall of hall sections...

River stands at the bright white back door to a hall section. But...she pauses.

Mal starts to ask, "what's...?"

Somberly... River murmurs, "false Reavers. Mobocracy. Hard sniffle! Two by ten, green and red. Designe..."

Very nervously... Kaylee asks, "made to do what?"

River doesn't answer.

She opens the door.

Mal and Kaylee kind of slowly walk in with River. Mal draws out his shotgun.

Police Captain Hollings and his officers go in next. They have their sonic rifles drawn out and ready.

Eight armed Reaver costumed extremists are walking toward them.

With loud choos... And, wildly laughing some... They're firing.

With some loud choos and very low choos... Police Captain Hollings, his officers, and Mal are shooting back.

Kaylee gently pulls River away from the shooting.

They duck down by some steps by a stage door. A White Sun star is over it.

River sniffles hard. She's violently shaking some as she rocks herself back and forth.

Teary eyed still... Kaylee asks, "what's wrong, sweetie?"

Two Reaver costumed extremists fall dead, with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

Two are knocked back hard by sonic waves. Their L1A1 SLRs go flying.

They're on their sides on the floor, groaning hard.

One of Police Captain Hollings's officers falls dead, with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

Windows across the hall shatter. Hints of very familiar looking guns firing.

Then... All four standing Reaver costumed extremists are shot from behind.

Mal takes the chance to shoot dead the two on the ground. Brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

They all fall dead. Brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter around their heads, necks, and backs.

Standing there now...are Zoe and Jayne.

They're shivering some and sweating like crazy. They're glaring and red eyed like they didn't sleep for days.

Not noticing that... Mal starts to say, "well. Faint chuckle. Good you..."

Suddenly... And, teary eyed... River cries out to him, "run! ! !"

Mal pauses in mid-sentence to turn to River.

But, before he can say anything... He hears shots.

* * *

 _Act III_

In Zoe's and Jayne's minds... All looks very dark red.

Shattered ship windows dripping in dark red liquid. Dead corpses of Reavers and hints of body parts over them.

Two wildly laughing and roaring Reavers by a gray ship door. A third running past, holding hints of fingers.

Past the creepy mental images... A real shook Mal runs past.

Real nervous... Police Captain Hollings is fast to conclude, "fall back officers! It's a trap!"

Terrified... One of his officers comments, "lā shǐ! We don't get paid enough for this!"

Police Captain Hollings and the rest of his officers are running like hell out.

The back door swings some behind them, left ajar.

Not able to take it anymore... Kaylee starts sobbing into her hands.

River warns, "not themselves Mal: Don't kill them!"

Mal nervously faintly chuckles. He calls back, "yeah? Well, they ain't makin' it gorram easy! !"

With loud choos... Zoe and Jayne shoot at him again as he runs.

River puts a kind of comforting hand on Kaylee's.

With a sniffle... Kaylee looks up.

With a very faint smile... River is quick to explain, "ST8SIA-20. Drug designed to double the ST8SIA-II in the brain. Gene for aggression, fear, and early brain development. Adults with low intensity false nightmares. Children with... Sniffle! They can't stop nightmares. Sniffle! Small doses last for thirty minutes. But, surgical gene treatment is strongly recommended to be sure residual aggression and fear goes away. Simon make it go away."

Kaylee very faintly smiles at the last part.

From one of Zoe's shots... Mal groans violently some.

He ducks behind the bend in the hall, clutching his shoulder.

He tears off some of his jacket sleeve to wrap tight around the dark red liquid seeping wound.

He lets his shotgun hang down by his side as he does.

With a almost deafening yell... In a drug fueled angry whirl... Jayne whirls behind for Kaylee and River.

Zoe is running after Mal. River is running just as fast after them.

Very nervously... Kaylee calls out, "River! !"

Bordering on frighteningly calm... River calls back, "he needs straightening! You know how."

Then... She disappears behind the bend.

Kaylee is shaking real nervously. Silent tears keep falling.

But... She interestingly very faintly smiles: Despite her tears.

Jayne is about to shoot Kaylee.

But... Kaylee calls out, "Jayne! I'm Kaylee. Do you remember me?"

She's putting her hands up as she does.

In Jayne's mind... A Reaver image fluctuates from Kaylee's image and back again.

Jayne huffs. He frustratedly groans.

He grabs his head with both hands...dropping his gun.

Kaylee continues, "always so damn cheerful? Who loves her friends and Serenity no matter all it can hurt?"

Jayne can't take the fluctuating mental images anymore.

Violently... He slams his own head down on the floor.

Against the floor... He groans and coughs violently some on his side.

His forehead is heavily bruised some. His vision is blurring.

Kaylee rushes over...bending over him.

Kaylee cries out, "Jayne! !"

Teary eyed... Jayne murmurs, "Kaylee?"

Then... He falls unconscious.

Kaylee feels his pulse.

But, Kaylee breathes a great sigh of relief. For, Jayne's pulse is holding steady.

Meanwhile... In a drug fueled angry whirl... Zoe is about to shoot Mal.

Mal looks wide eyed in shock.

Suddenly... Zoe is somewhat violently kicked down to the floor.

Her custom made rifle hits the floor with a loud thud.

And, standing behind Zoe's fallen body...is a nervous looking River.

With a faint amused chuckle... And, real stunned sounding... Mal comments, "thank you. I ought to pay you."

With mixed feelings... River admits, "I'd like to be part of the crew...when the time is there."

Then, before Mal can say anything... River has a stern look on her face.

She tells him, "want to pay me? Apologize. For not assuring her for staying."

Zoe groans violently some. Her vision is blurry again.

She's still mostly lying on the floor. But, she's cautiously looking around to try to make sense of it all.

Mal mutters, "gorramit. We had been close in the war. But... Heavy sigh! I ain't good gettin' all touchy with feelings."

Then... Zoe surprisingly faintly smirks.

Sounding like herself again... She comments, "that is enough to hear, sir. That is enough."

Mal chuckles hard some in relief. River faintly chuckles.

When they're all conscious and back onboard Serenity...

River gives Simon back the medical tools she took, saying she found them in the last hiding place on Serenity.

Simon very faintly smiles in exhaustion.

Simon gives Zoe and Jayne sedatives to counteract the effects of ST8SIA-20 until tomorrow: When he's awake enough to give them surgical gene treatment to permanently get rid of the effects.

Jayne and Zoe take sponge baths.

By the time they're out, the sedatives kick in. And, their eyes are just faintly red.

After that... Everyone's sitting down, gathered around the Christmas tree.

Kind of casual and kind of not... Wash says, "I'm a mite confused. Who's starting off?"

Sounding somewhat reluctant... Mal points out, "well Wash, it's Kaylee's party. Unless you reckon you want to be alone now. It ain't have to be tonight."

Past the first part, he's turning to Kaylee.

With some lingering teariness in her eyes... Kaylee faintly sniffles.

But... She insists, "thank you captain. But...I already told you why. Faint chuckle. Always didn't let nightmares really hurt me long. I'm all right. So, if you and Zoe are all right..."

Still very faintly smiling... Zoe comments, "we are now."

Mal faintly smiles back. Soon, they all are very faintly smiling.

Sounding more cheerful already... Kaylee says, "that's good."

Kaylee considers, "well..."

Suddenly... She sees Jayne and River waving to her in a eager way.

Kaylee faintly chuckles to herself.

Then... She reveals, "...I drew your name Jayne. I'm sorry River. But, I'm starting off with him."

Kaylee is already bringing over a square present with gray, strawberry, and blue ribboned wrapping paper.

River lightly insists, "it's okay Kaylee. Get better soon."

Kaylee says, "aw. Thank you River."

River smiles back.

Jayne quickly tears through the wrapping paper. He tears the top kind of loudly off the metallic crate.

He reaches in.

Jayne goes, "ooh! I call these fancible."

He pulls out some shiny parts of guns.

Then... Jayne suddenly looks confused.

Kaylee wonders, "what's wrong? Don't you like 'em?"

Jayne says, "naw, I do. But...I got to figure what guns they go to? It ain't schoolin', is it?"

Most everyone laughs. Mal amusedly sighs.

Kaylee looks kind of annoyed at them. Jayne is getting real annoyed himself.

But... Kaylee kind of quickly assures, "it ain't teachin', Jayne. They're spare parts for your guns in case they wear out or get shot up. You know?"

Sounding relieved... Jayne adds, "well, now I do."

He grins as he looks back at the spare parts in his hands.

Jayne figures, "they look real good. Thanks."

He sets them down back in the box.

Kaylee smiles. She says, "you're welcome."

Kaylee sits down next to River. They reach a comforting hand to each other at the same time.

Kaylee offers, "you want to go next, River?"

River answers, "yes. Can save giving mine for last?"

Encouragingly... Kaylee adds, "good idea sweetie. I'm sure your present you're giving will be shiny."

River just smiles wider knowingly.

Then... Kaylee asks, "okay. Who drew River's name?"

Wash reveals, "I have. I hope you like what I got for you."

Zoe faintly smirks to herself.

Wash brings over a small present in tropical green and brown striped wrapping paper.

River easily tears away the edges of the wrapping paper. Then, she throws off the rest.

She opens the circular cardboard box.

Inside...is a very light green computer disc with light blue circuitry.

River keeps smiling wide.

Wash starts to explain, "it's a..."

Reading his mind... River explains, "ten albums brought printed. Calming waves for the brain. You hope it is."

A little awkwardly... Wash says, "well, Inara helped me pick albums. But...yeah. Exactly like that."

Solemnly... River says, "I like the thinking. Want to see if I function better with it. Thank you."

Wash says, "you're welcome."

Solemnly... Simon adds, "yeah. That was really thoughtful of you."

Wash figures, "and you're welcome. Faint chuckle. That's me. I'm always thinking."

Zoe comments, "dear, I'm afraid we ain't got all night to see what you're thinking."

Faint chuckles fill the cargo hold.

Kind of sarcastically... Wash adds, "I'll live."

Zoe smiles. She just adds, "okay."

Mal says, "all right now. Time I got my gift out for you."

He brings over a somewhat thin tall present with Serenity like wrapping paper.

Wash lightly tears off the wrapping paper. He opens the upright thin crate.

Inside...are several young kids dinosaur books.

They're from a bookstore on Sihnon. They're mostly with yellow and dark red covers.

Wash grins. He goes, "oh whoa!"

Mal adds, "you're welcome."

Everyone faintly laughs and chuckles.

Wash admits, "I expected a fought-in-the-war course bundled up in here. But, this is dà!"

He starts to run off with the dinosaur books.

Back toward them... He calls out, "honey, I'm going to go put them right by our bed!"

Zoe calls back, "okay!"

Wash then keeps running off for his and Zoe's bunk.

Zoe faintly shakes her head in amusement.

Kaylee and Jayne smirk. Book, Simon, and River faintly smile.

Sarcastically... Zoe comments, "you did it now sir. He ain't gonna wake up in the morning readin' them, and you'll be stuck pilotin' and crashin' again."

Jayne and Wash laugh. Kaylee looks nervous all a sudden.

Mal recalls, "hey. We got back to flyin'. Didn't we now?"

Some nods and awkward agreements fill the cargo hold.

Kaylee breathes a sigh of relief. Her nervous expression starts to quickly fade.

She wonders, "all right. Who drew Shepherd's name?"

Zoe answers, "I have. I figured this would be more your type of book, Shepherd."

She brings out a somewhat thin present in reddish brown and dark blue striped wrapping paper.

With a faint smile... Book tears off the wrapping paper.

He carefully opens the upright thin crate.

He takes out a mostly gold book. Gold crops over dark blue come across the center of the cover in a ribbon.

It's titled From Marsilio Ficino to Matthias Corvinus: Charting Causalities and Behaviors in the Renaissance.

Book looks contemplatively some at the book in his hands. But, he's still faintly smiling.

Sincerely... And, with a faint smile still... He says, "thank you Zoe. I'm sure it will be fascinating."

In kind... Zoe says, "you're welcome preacher."

Reading Kaylee's mind... River says, "want to go?"

Kaylee very faintly chuckles awkwardly at the wording.

Most everyone else looks kind of nervous her direction.

But, just as quickly... Kaylee clears up, "yeah. I want to go next. Who has got me?"

Everyone looks relieved. By then, Wash has come back to stand by Zoe.

They faintly smile. They pull each other close.

Looking kind of awkward... And, somewhat nervous... Simon answers, "umm...I have. Merry Christmas, Kaylee."

Simon brings over a small present: In wrapping paper that looks strikingly similar to his home planet Osiris.

Kaylee smiles playfully. She says, "thank you Simon."

Simon politely smiles back.

Kaylee lightly tears off the wrapping paper. She opens the square cardboard box.

Inside...is a white and gray striped computer disc with very dark blue and very light blue circuitry.

Smiling wide... Kaylee wonders, "it's pretty and all. But, what's on it?"

Simon explains, "it's a historical database on the Verse. I even went as far as sending waves of edits ahead of time to Inara for full accounts of events that The Alliance doesn't want to be readily let known."

Sounding impressed... Mal adds, "good gift."

Kaylee picks up the computer disc. She's eyeing it.

Stunned... Kaylee says, "wow. Got to be a lot of good stories here. I'm gonna love readin' them. Thank you."

Looking relieved... Simon adds, "you're welcome."

Kaylee puts the computer disc back into its box.

Zoe supposes, "ought to get one ourselves, sir." Mal adds firmly, "yeah. We real ought to."

Awkwardly... Simon says, "I'm sorry. I didn't think to bring more than one."

Casually... Zoe insists, "it's okay, Doctor. We only had money for eight gifts anyhow."

Sounding a little better... Simon adds, "that's true."

Lightly... Kaylee concludes, "not to worry. I'll be happy to share with my captain."

Mal, Zoe, and Jayne smirk at that. Simon, Book, and Wash faintly smile. And, River smiles wide.

After a bit... Zoe realizes, "all right. That leaves me with Book or Jayne havin' got me a gift."

Book points out, "I'm sorry to disappoint you Zoe. But, it isn't me."

Zoe lightly pulls away from Wash.

Looking real wary... Zoe has a hand on her custom made rifle on her belt.

A little awkwardly... Jayne figures, "we ain't real got along. But, I was gonna still get ya a knife."

Wash, Zoe, and Mal laugh. Book faintly chuckles. River laughs hard, doubling over. And, Jayne is looking real annoyed.

Getting teary eyed... Kaylee calls out, "guys! That's mean. Not every damn thing he gets is a gun!"

Things got very awkwardly silent.

But, with how late it was getting... Wash, Zoe, Mal, Book, and River apologize and just leave it at that.

With a very faint smile... Jayne says, "thanks little Kaylee."

Sounding a little better... Kaylee solemnly says, "you are welcome."

The teariness in her eyes starts to dry up.

Jayne gives Zoe a kind of small present with silver and sharp red ribboned wrapping paper.

Zoe tears off the wrapping paper. She opens the little wooden box.

When she looks inside... She looks real stunned.

Almost at the same time... Mal and Wash check in concern, "Zoe?"

After a bit... Zoe bittersweetly smiles.

More casually... She assures Wash, "honey, it's a bracelet."

With her free hand, she takes out a silver bracelet from the box.

It's eerily modeled after a grenade shell. But, Zoe doesn't seem to mind that much.

She's even quick to put it on and try it out.

With a faint smile... And, incredulously... Wash goes, "I don't believe it. But...tā duì tā lái shuō hěn hǎokàn!"

Faint chuckles and laughs fill the cargo hold.

Zoe starts to say, "I guess Jayne ain't that terrib..."

She just noticed a needle tip sticking out of the top edge.

Mal asks in concern, "Zoe?"

With her free hand on the other side of the top edge... Zoe pulls out the hidden tranquilizer needle.

She looks amused, holding it up for Mal to see.

Mal faintly laughs. He shakes his head.

He moderately sighs. He comments, "Jayne: Couldn't not place a weapon."

Everyone though faintly laughs and chuckles at that.

After a bit... Jayne admits, "it ain't all me Mal. Saffron thought "it goes well with the part of her that shoots". What ever the gorram hell that mean."

Zoe and Wash bittersweetly smirk. Book and River faintly smile. Kaylee awkwardly looks down with a very faint smile.

Mal faintly nods. He just says, "yeah. That figures."

A day earlier, in the cockpit...

On the Cortex... Saffron was looking admiringly on.

She was teary eyed. But, she was widely smiling with closed lips.

She was wearing a ring on her middle finger...with the center looking like one of Vera's gold custom grenades.

Saffron's name was engraved in the ruby red bluish rim.

Saffron was concluding, "oh...my god! You really got me a engagement ring?"

From a cockpit seat on Serenity... Jayne grinned.

He was figuring, "yah. Gave all my kept around cuts on the ship to help pay it. You think it pretty?"

Saffron groaned sexually. She was saying, "oh yes gunny. I so much love your touch on it!"

Jayne faintly laughs.

Saffron was confessing, "oh. And, when you come back to me for good...I'd actually love to. Faint laugh. I'm just getting out what we have been thinking. One on one as one flesh till death do we part: Remember?"

Confidently... Jayne was adding, "damn right we do."

They grinned wide to each other.

Then, more playfully... Saffron wondered, "and was my holiday gift good for you?"

Still grinning... Jayne was remarking, "now those were nudes."

Saffron laughed hard some.

She was recollecting, "good. They are of girls that actually got close to me while I were on the run. And yes: Some did want to be on me to thank me for ruining those rich húndàn. Good thrilling times."

Jayne laughed hard at that.

And, completely unphased... Saffron was grinning like a peeping schoolgirl.

Presently...

River brings out a present with brown bible like wrapping paper.

Fairly confused... Kaylee asks, "sweetie? You sure that is y...?"

Calmly... Book explains, "it's from us, Kaylee. Inara believed it would help to let her choose me or Simon to help make preparations for her gift. I can get you lockets any time of the year. This was specially important to River."

With a faint smile... River says, "thank you preacher man."

Book says, "you're welcome, River."

Faint smirks and smiles fill the cargo hold.

Then... River pulls out something from behind the present.

It's a origami Serenity: Painted very carefully to look like Serenity in every way possible.

Book faintly smiles knowingly to himself. Everyone else looks stunned.

Somewhat confused... Mal says, "whoa. Who is this for?"

Somewhat nervously... River kind of fiddles with her hands.

Then... She explains it all, "present. Got Simon's birthday anything in Christmas drawing. This for Inara or you. She gets to fly it if you don't. I know you weren't expecting."

As she does, she holds up the origami Serenity with one hand.

Surprisingly... Mal widely smiles.

He lightly takes the origami Serenity from River's hand.

Everyone else smiles and smirks wider.

Zoe and Kaylee get a little teary eyed. But, they don't look upset: Just happy.

Getting a little teary eyed... Mal figures, "I'll give mighty thought to it. Thanks for speakin' it plainly."

A little teary eyed from reading his thoughts... River says, "you're welcome."

Before anyone else can ask... Zoe asks in concern, "something troublin' you, sir?"

With a bit of mixed feelings... Mal insists, "nothing you ain't already know."

Thinking back to fighting together in Serenity Valley... Zoe just solemnly nods.

Solemnly... Simon says, "that was very thoughtful, mei mei."

River wipes the faint teariness from her eyes.

She then smiles wide.

Then... Simon remembers there is still his present to open.

He kind of meticulously tears off the wrapping paper. He opens the wooden box.

Inside...is a grainy light blue lined dark blue custom made journal.

In black ink... The title across is this:

Unified History Makes Sense Now! No Hands of Blue here!

Written right under it in smaller letters is:

A Unbiased History of the Unification War. By River and Book.

With a smile... And, sounding stunned... He says, "this is... Bittersweet chuckle. This is a really great gift. I'm sure I'll like reading it. Thank you River."

Still smiling... River concludes, "I knew you would. You're welcome."

Some yawns fill the cargo hold.

They may be getting real tired now.

But... They're smirking and smiling the whole way to their bunks: Carrying the gifts they're carrying with them.

With Christmas or any winter holiday...

It isn't just about jolly, thankfulness, and gifts. It's about the birth of a new hope for the next year onward.

And, through the nightmares and dreams of the past… We all have it in us to be stronger than the pain: Because there's always hope for a new hope from within.

* * *

 _References Side Notes:_

1) the blog Study Identifies Gene Mechanism Linked to Fear and Aggression by Carmen Sandi

2) the short story The Other Half by Jim Krueger and Will Conrad(in relative past reference to it)


	14. S2, Ep 4: Those Left Behind

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Those Left Behind:

 _Teaser_

One night, in the cockpit on Serenity...

Mal is sitting kind of shakily in a cockpit seat, facing the Cortex screen.

He's holding a crumply letter in parchment paper.

He's teary eyed.

Chills are down his spine.

Some tears fall upon the letter. Splotches run over some of the recently dried blue ink letters on it.

And, over the Cortex...is Nandi.

Her skin is no longer burnt from fire. But...she's blinking her eyes a lot: Trying to hold back tears.

A few tears fall from her face still.

She is in a black silk sleeveless dress with some curved lines of gold beads circled around the upper half. Her mostly dark tan Chinese robe is over her dress.

Mal murmurs under his breath, "I'm sorry. But... Moderate sigh. Sniffle. You know now."

There's a nerve wracking silence.

Then... Nandi finally says, "my child..."

She sniffles loudly.

She uses her flowery handkerchief to wipe lingering teariness from her eyes.

Real nervous... Mal says, "I should go."

He sniffles hard. Another tear falls from his face.

He goes over to cut off the private line.

But... Nandi looks right at him with a intense firm look.

Mal pauses: With his finger over the switch for the Cortex screen.

Nandi thinks out loud, "your grave sin... Sniffle! It hurts knowin'. I ain't lying to you, Malcolm Reynolds. I ain't telling you it doesn't matter to you. But, I believe it doesn't matter. Sniffle. What does is who you are now."

Mal gulps nervously. But...he moves his finger away from the switch.

He gives her a somber look.

Mal admits, "that is a kindness. But...I don't deserve humanity for what I done. Sniffle. I ain't believed in God since the war. I ain't got a thing left to believe in. But, I keep Serenity and my crew flying. I thought I could be less business like...that I could love. Sniffle! It ain't a question of trying, Nandi. I'm a killer held back somethin' awful. I don't deserve to love! Sniffle! It ain't matter if I still do...'cause I'm protectin' you and Inara from me."

He can't hold back anymore.

He's hunched over as his arms lean against the edges of the control panel.

He's faintly sobbing. Pained tears keep falling to the floor.

Nandi sniffles loudly.

She blinks her eyes a lot. But, she's holding back tears now.

It's like this for who knows how long.

When Mal finally looks up... He stands firm, almost like nothing happened.

In spite of her sniffles... Nandi stands firm, almost like nothing happened.

Nandi tries to assure, "you ain't look like a murderer to me. Were young and mei NAI-shing as can, night after a fight. Sniffle. Unless there is something you didn't told me that can make me doubt how I look at you now...I do think you're a better man than most. Sniffle! I still love you."

Mal very faintly chuckles over that. He heavily sighs.

He concludes, "oh god. You really are my kind of stupid."

Nandi very faintly somberly smiles.

She admits, "I were young as can...to cut my home out of other men's hands and build my business up from nothing. Faint sniffle. All of them takers that were doing business with the place. I burned them. I burned their families. Sniffle! Rance and other takers came. Took it as a gorram challenge. But...it hurt. Sniffle! I learned to be better when it come to family. We ain't as different as you had been thinkin', Malcolm Reynolds."

Briefly... Mal very faintly smiles.

He heavily sighs in mixed feelings.

Nandi moderately sighs.

Some tears fall from both of their faces.

Nandi sniffles loudly. Mal sniffles hard.

Nandi uses her flowery handkerchief to wipe lingering teariness from her eyes.

Solemn... She asks, "Malcolm...when are you going to tell her? I know you must be thinking you should."

Mal heavily sighs.

Then... He says, "you really figure she will take it well as you?"

Nandi faintly chuckles. She admits, "we have been very understanding women long as can remember. We have been dear friends on Sihnon before the House. Sniffle. The only one she still had. That's a certainty. But...I can't be sure how she'll feel. Faint sniffle. We ain't see each other least a fēicháng màncháng de yī nián. How could I know?"

Firmly... Mal murmurs in agreement, "yeah. How could you?"

Around then, in a certain bunk on Serenity...

Book is bent before his bed, praying with his hands cupped together over the bed.

He faintly sniffles. But, his eyes are closed.

Two nights later, in a fancible hotel suite on Persephone...

The dim light of night is seen through the fiberglass wall sections.

Inara's client is sleeping soundly in bed in the dark. Inara is sitting on the edge.

She's holding the letter from Mal...shakily in her hands.

At the end part of the letter... It says:

 _ **Inara...I ain't askin' for a kindness.**_

 _ **I don't deserve humanity for what I done. But, it could be less complicated now.**_

 _ **I ain't goin' to stop you from leaving.**_

 _ **But, if you ain't going to leave... Maybe I ain't as far gone as I think now.**_

 _ **I wouldn't forgive me none. But, I ain't you.**_

 _ **Maybe you could help me come back to humanity. I ain't know of anybody else that could.**_

 _ **I love you. But, I ain't got a right to stop you from leaving.**_

 _ **Truthfully,**_

 _ **Mal**_

Inara is bent down facing the floor...crying.

And, as tears fall from her face... She's thinking to herself:

 _Oh my god Mal._

 _How can I tell you gently you just complicated everything again? How can I tell you if...if I..._

 _Sniffle!_

 _Oh my god! Please, merciful Brahma._

 _Sniffle!_

 _I don't want this to be part of my karma. Please._

 _Please don't make me have to tell him I'm leaving._

* * *

 _Act I_

A day later...

It's the late morning, before a mostly clear blue sky.

There's a planet covered in dark blue oceans, forest clearings with evergreen trees, and desert clearings circling around giant gray mountain ranges. There's very few snows piles and many a puddle.

The Rim Planet is Constance.

There's only one supercontinent. But, North Constance and South Constance are held up by two columns of desert.

Rows of docks are there. Loosely cobbled together metal walls are underwater to protect the land from erosion.

Both North Constance and South Constance look like saucers with a point at the end.

There are towns with as many warehouses with metal ribbed walls as wooden houses, straw roofs and wood roofs over the houses, rows of metal lockers in the warehouses, rustic orange wood barns, light tan brown water mills and black metal water towers, and big metal water pipes and triple deck refrigerator freezer units like mechanical engine units for the water mills.

As for Constance's two moons?

Two moons circle around in space.

Mostly New Zealander folk live on Barrowclough. There's no oceans and many desert clearings with oases.

Mostly British folk live on Disraeli. There's no oceans and many forest clearings.

On both moons, they've channeled the water underground: Thanks to their advanced underground water purification systems.

In turn... Constance and its two moons are the only corner in the Verse known for evergreen trees, the purest water, the most durable ship plumbing, refrigerators, and thermoses.

Even now, only most rich folk can afford thermoses, evergreen trees, and the purest water.

But, rich or not... Most folk don't want to hurt Constance's systems, because their trade has become so essential to rich life on the Central Planets and to frontier life.

In a church on Constance...

There's a crowd of middle class and rich folk.

They're dressed up all formal. Some wear cowboy hats.

As Book's not so official bodyguard from a plan of her own... Inara is standing in a back corner of the church.

But, she only recently came in through the back door. The trip from Persephone took hours.

She's wearing gold wind charm earrings and her necklace of bluish red stone sized beads. She also wears a very dark red dress: With gold lining with crescent moons, and gold arm warmers for sleeves with dark red lines down.

Book has one hand out, open and facing up. His other hand is on the wood pulpit.

A cross is on the wood pulpit.

He's faintly teary eyed. But, he doesn't seem to notice.

Before the crowd of church goers... Book is giving a sermon:

...and so I say to you on this fine day, citizens of Constance, that your lives are not defined by that with which you enter this world...

...but rather with what you leave behind on it.

Our lives, from the moment we are born to when we draw our last breath, are nothing more than a series of comings and goings. If we live our lives as we should, we give of ourselves with each entrance and exit.

Very faint sniffle.

If we don't...we take.

Across town...

Mal, Jayne, and Zoe are fast walking out of a very dark red manor styled bank.

Jayne has a black ribbed bulletproof vest on over a light yellow T-shirt. He's being more cautious for this job.

Mal is carrying a big brown sack over his shoulder. Millions of gold and untraceable credits is in it.

They're all smiling wide. Mal and Jayne are chuckling kind of loudly to themselves.

Mal starts to say, "well, now we could finally..."

Then... A shot is fired.

A loud choo.

Mal and Zoe look on...wide eyed in shock.

Their contact's body is falling to the ground...dead.

Dark red liquid starts to seep from his head and from his light tan cowboy hat.

But...their fallen dead contact isn't the only thing they see.

Mal and Zoe are getting teary eyed.

Real nervous all a sudden... Mal murmurs, "well gorram. This is a situation."

Zoe adds, "it disturbs me too, sir."

For, coming out from the forest clearing...are two AATSs.

It's like clockwork.

In recent days, The Alliance posted very few across the Rim and the Border Planets.

Jayne wasn't even seeing them though. He was looking for the shooter.

Real mad... He huffs.

He quickly sees a bald figure running down the street corner, past a wooden storefront.

He's wearing dark blue silk robes and a silver headset with a earpiece. He's carrying a black pistol.

Jayne draws out his LeMat Revolver, ready to fire.

He runs after the figure.

The AATSs's side plates whirl open...extending out their gyro-oriented machine guns.

Zoe calls out, "on the ground now!"

The AATSs fire.

A lot of loud choos.

Zoe and Mal duck.

As Mal does... The sack is riddled with bullets from behind his back.

Credits and gold go flying over the ground in a wind gust of instant regret.

Mal curses some hard to hear Chinese under his breath.

Meanwhile, back with Book and Inara...

Book has his first hand down. His second is still on the pulpit.

But, as he does... He's kind of pointing with a finger from his second hand.

Book is concluding his sermon:

And so I say to each of you, the time comes when you have to make your decision.

What to take from this world and what you leave behind...

Suddenly... A lot of loud choos are heard.

Everyone turns to face a church window...looking out to the AATSs shooting in the distance.

A balding guy with black medium hair is leaning over the window with one hand. His other is on his cane.

He says, "it's coming from the bank."

Everyone runs out to get a better view of what's going on.

All except a old lady sitting in a booth cheering them on.

Book murmurs, "joo ah, nee ming ming jee dao wuh shr bang nee tzuo shr, yo huh bee jao wuh ma fan nuh?"

Then... Inara somberly sighs.

They're both faintly teary eyed.

Inara admits, "we have different beliefs, preacher. But... Sniffle. I feel the same way."

Book very faintly somberly smiles.

Just as quickly though... He says, "we should go. Keep them safe."

With a very faint nod... And, solemnly... Inara recollects, "you're right. Let's go."

They fast walk out through the back of the church.

Inara's shuttle is right there, waiting for them.

Meanwhile...

Jayne runs around the street, near the center of town.

But, when he gets to the center of town...the figure is out of sight.

In frustration... He mutters to himself, "gorramit!"

By then... Many a confused folk are coming around on foot with shotguns.

Mal's Flying Mule is coming around from the other direction.

Mal is piloting. Zoe is sitting next to him in the co-pilot seat.

They both look real tense.

Mal tells Jayne, "get in."

Sounding nervous and tense all at once... Jayne asks, "did we got the damn money, Mal?"

He's getting into the back of Mal's Flying Mule as he does.

Mal and Zoe just give him warning glares.

Jayne gulps nervously.

Mal's Flying Mule speeds down the street.

Zoe is about to draw out her custom made rifle. Jayne is about to fire from behind the Flying Mule with his LeMat Revolver.

But... Many a townsfolk are gathering around the fallen goods like it's a lottery.

They're grabbing as much as they can...just before many a townsfolk come back shouting at them to back off.

Some loud choos go off.

Zoe and Jayne sigh with mixed relief.

Zoe moves her hand away from her custom made rifle. Jayne sits down in the back.

The two AATSs are still coming after them.

But... Zoe and Jayne turn to face ahead.

Jayne questions, "what you figure we do now? Bullets ain't hittin' 'em."

Zoe comments, "sir, it disturbs me that I'm inclined to agree with Jayne." Mal just says, "yeah. I figured it would."

Jayne just glares back in Zoe's direction.

Mal steers his Flying Mule hard left down another street.

Around then, in the cockpit on Serenity...

Before the black of space... Out there is the edge of the atmosphere of the planet Constance.

Wash is lying back in the pilot seat with his hands behind his head. His feet are up on the control panel.

He's wearing a tan blue open buttoned shirt with red, blue, and green tropical flowers. A blue shirt is under it.

A full cup of untouched coffee is by the control panel. So are two of Wash's toy dinosaurs.

Over his radio earwig... Mal checks, "Wash? Wash, you hearing me? Wash!"

Wash wakes up with a startle.

Wide eyed... He calls out, "mother!"

His toy dinosaurs shake. The cup of coffee spills over the edge of the control panel.

Mal comments, "Wash, I am decided not your mother."

Wash looks real awkward now.

He has his hand over the side of his hair.

Just as quickly though... He says, "right. But, I assume you didn't call just to tell me that..."

He's already walking toward the co-pilot seat.

Mal explains quickly, "looks like we'll be leaving this world a mite sooner than planned. I'd like that last statement to prove as specific and mundane: Not prayerful."

Somewhat solemn... Wash adds, "got it, captain."

He starts flipping switches and pressing buttons.

First on a gray control panel on the ceiling. Then, on the control panel before the co-pilot seat.

Back on the planet Constance...

Over his radio earwig... Mal adds, "and Wash...hurry."

His Flying Mule crashes right through a wooden fence, heading into a forest clearing.

Splintered wood pieces go flying.

The AATSs split up.

They're flying over the trees in parallel to each other.

Mal somewhat assures, "the job is bust. But, we ain't. It's a fair bet the Ambassador has a plan."

Jayne faintly smirks. Zoe firmly smiles.

Around then, in the engine room on Serenity...

Over a camera's watery screen... There's a light green boxy rim and a light yellow boxy center.

Over the camera's screen... Simon is seen sitting in the light tan red chair with metal legs.

He's wearing a very light tan blue formal buttoned long sleeved shirt.

He's finding it hard to look up.

Sounding real awkward... Simon says, "really Kaylee, I appreciate you are thinking of me. But, I don't understand why you would even want my picture."

He has a hand facing up and kind of open as he does.

Sounding between cheerful and not... Kaylee tries to be assuring, "Simon. Don't be hard on yourself. I ain't want a picture on your too damn proper arrest warrant. I want your picture."

Kaylee is wearing a small darkish purple T-shirt, light blue baggy like jeans, and a matching open vest with a heart traced over it in white lines. Her belly button is showing right below her T-shirt.

She is holding a small gray old fashioned airlock styled camera, with a speaker attached to its left side. A disc slot is in back.

Her face has some grease splotches from recently doing maintenance on Serenity's engine.

Simon looks up.

He faintly laughs over the whole thing.

Kaylee and River laugh.

River is smiling. Simon and Kaylee are faintly smiling.

River is comfortably lying mostly face up in Kaylee's hammock.

She is wearing a mostly light green sleeved dress, with thick bundles of woven in dark blue dress lining lining down from the shoulders like a big stretched out top half of a pair of overalls.

River has been mostly really happy lately.

Ever since she got albums of calming music for Christmas, she's been listening to them at night. Mal has been kind enough to play them kind of loudly from the cockpit at night when most everyone is likely asleep anyway.

Most of River's nightmares just seem to wash away from one single minute to the next.

Mal, Jayne, and Zoe have been somewhat rattled by her music album collection at night. But, only Jayne opted for earplugs.

Kaylee, River, and Simon suddenly feel a hard change in momentum.

Kaylee lowers the camera down. But, she keep holding it in her hand.

She calls out kind of loudly, "Wash?! What's up?"

From the cockpit... Wash casually calls back, "oh, the usual: Crime, and us trying to avoid the punishment. Mal and Inara will make up how as we go. It'll be fine. Just think of kites free in the wind."

River laughs hard some. Kaylee and Simon awkwardly faintly laugh.

Sounding more casual... Kaylee calls back to Wash, "okay."

Suddenly... Kaylee starts to get teary eyed.

She sniffles hard.

Simon asks in concern, "Kaylee? What's wrong?"

Kaylee very faintly somberly smiles. She tries to say, "that's just it, Simon. Sniffle! It really ain't easy for me to say. But..."

River gets a little teary eyed.

With a very faint smile... She cryptically reflects, "balls of yarn, all tangled with different weights and colors. Hard to catch in the wild. Pull one string... Sniffle. Pull them all. May not be easy to tie around the tree. But, pictures can catch the wind."

Sounding a little better already... Kaylee adds, "thanks."

River says, "you are welcome, Kaylee."

Simon faintly somberly smiles.

A little teary eyed... He realizes, "yeah. I, uh... I see what you're trying to say. Sniffle. There could be a day when me and River are caught as wanted fugitives. Something might kill us...and you want to better remember the good days if it happens."

Kaylee just keeps somberly smiling in silent confirmation.

Several tears fall from her face.

Simon moderately sighs. He says, "all right. You're welcome to take my picture."

With mixed feelings... Kaylee concludes, "thank you. But... Sniffle. I'm sorry, Simon. Maybe I'll feel like it tonight."

She puts the camera down by her hammock.

Solemn... Simon just says, "it's going to be okay. I understand."

River sniffles.

Some tears fall from her face. But...she's very faintly smiling still: Knowing deep down they'll be okay.

Overcome by her mixed feelings... Kaylee rushes over to Simon.

She hugs him tight.

Kaylee is sitting on his lap as she does.

Simon is completely caught off guard.

More tears fall over Simon's shoulder.

Kaylee is faintly sobbing. More hard sniffles.

Simon sniffles hard some.

He somewhat awkwardly hugs her back.

By her ear... He softly says, "it's okay. It's okay."

Meanwhile, up in atmo over the planet Constance...

Inara's shuttle is flying in atmo...a whisper away from the position of Mal's Flying Mule.

Serenity is hovering over a water tower up ahead, ready to come down to the surface.

From a underground security room... The AATSs's target locks are getting locks on all three.

With her attention mostly on piloting... Inara is in the cockpit.

Over his radio earwig... She's recently told Mal her plan.

The door to Inara's shuttle is open. And, standing in the open doorway...is Book.

He gets ready to fire outside with his long tipped gun.

With some mixed feelings... Inara wonders, "what do your lectures tell about firing on community resources?"

Book very faintly smiles. He remarks, "killing comes before every other sin in the bible. One is stealing."

With mixed feelings... Inara faintly chuckles.

She concludes, "yes. Stealing what we need has been good for the crew to stay together."

Inara's shuttle comes within range of the water tower.

Book pauses.

Somberly... He was thinking back to a part of his sermon:

If we don't...we take.

On the ground...

Mal's Flying Mule is speeding past a metal construction crane holding logs.

The two AATSs fly high over the construction crane to get a better aim. They're about to fire.

Inara checks in concern, "preacher?"

Somewhat nervous... Book apologizes, "my apologies."

He shoots some holes into the water tower.

The bullet ridden side of it gives way against the rushing out water.

Water from the water tower spills out...over the AATSs and Mal's Flying Mule.

Mal stops his Flying Mule.

The AATSs are dripping wet. Their indicator lights and antenna are sparking off like crazy in electric sparks.

Against the rushing out water... They explode in a muffled scattering of smoking flying parts and fire.

Mal, Zoe, and Jayne are dripping wet too.

Jayne is looking real annoyed. He mutters, "gorramit! We got no coin, and now I'm wet like a diaper."

Sounding a little amused... Zoe mutters offhandedly, "now that makes a image."

Jayne glares heatedly at her. Zoe glares warningly back.

Somewhat tense... Mal concludes, "hey! We'll find out who tipped off who. But, you can't if neither of you ain't playin' nice enough. Everyone off and aboard."

Zoe and Jayne very reluctantly get out of Mal's Flying Mule.

Zoe heavily sighs. Jayne huffs to himself.

Serenity is touching down on the surface. A cloud of dust comes and goes from under.

Mal heavily sighs to himself.

A half hour later...

Serenity kind of cautiously moves through the black of space.

Around and through Serenity's hull... River looks somewhat nervous.

She's crouched down in the dark.

Reading the mind of someone coming near... She faintly laughs to herself.

There's Mal's Flying Mule in the cargo hold. Inara's docked in shuttle is not far from the center catwalk.

In the hall... Mal is heading for his bunk.

He notices the bunk door is half pulled out, rungs and all.

Mal looks down, kind of crouched over.

He looks past the shadow cast over by the half pulled out bunk door.

And, as he looks closer... He looks somewhat stunned.

In a low tone... He asks, "River? What the hell are you...?!"

Under the shadow of the bunk door... River doubles over the other way, facing up.

Cheerfully... She calls back, "it's okay!"

She's laughing loudly. She adds, "found me! You both did."

From behind Mal... Inara chuckles kind of loudly.

With a smile... She comments, "there you are."

Looking a little confused... Mal turns back to her.

When he sees her... He heavily sighs.

With some mixed feelings... He says, "Inara? Very faint chuckle. I'm sorry. I ain't feel like playin' games."

Inara puts a sympathetic hand on his.

With a somber smile... She tells him, "it's all right. We've been playing hide and seek... Very faint chuckle. I guess she wanted to try to help us both feel better."

Down the ladder to Mal's bunk... River casually calls out, "it's not a guess! I was trying."

Mal and Inara can't help but faintly chuckle at that.

Mal says, "all right. You had your fun. Now, get out of my bunk."

River says, "okay, Mal. Very faint chuckle. Got to get up to walk first."

Mal kind of annoyedly rolls his eyes.

Inara shakes her head. But, she looks amused.

With mixed feelings... Inara suggests, "we can talk more on the catwalk. I don't think anyone is there."

She's a little teary eyed.

Mal looks somewhat nervous now. But...he just says, "okay."

They walk down the hall.

They're awkwardly holding hands as they do.

Not long after, on the center catwalk over the cargo hold...

Mal and Inara are looking over the railing.

There's a real awkward silence.

Then... Mal asks, "okay. What's got you worked up?"

Some silent tears fall from Inara's face.

She sniffles. She closes her eyes, holding back more tears.

She takes a deep breath.

Seeming more collected... Inara says, "thank you, Mal. There is something very important I have to tell you. But... Deep sigh. Sniffle. I can and have appreciated that you have a business to conduct. We also can't survive on this ship for long if we don't find out who ruined our very well timed caper."

Mal gets wide eyed and teary eyed at the first part. He knows all too well what letter she likely is referring to.

He sniffles hard. He finds it hard to look up.

Inara slightly turns to him.

Before Inara can say something though... Mal admits, "honest...I think life's too damn short for ifs and maybes. Sniffle. But, you're right. That's a maybe I ain't goin' to just let my self forget soon, because we all could be pinched."

They very faintly somberly smile to each other.

They start to pull each other closer.

Suddenly... They hear a familiar voice over the ship speaker radio.

Dead serious... Wash announces, "everyone...you better get up here."

Very awkwardly... Inara and Mal pull away.

They fast walk down the metal stairs.

When they get to the cockpit... Everyone else is already there.

They're all gathered around a Cortex screen by the pilot seat.

Faint bittersweet smiles and faint grins fill the cockpit.

But... The smile on River's face is quick to fade.

Sounding more business like... Mal starts to ask, "Wash? What is...?"

The live feed is clear.

The back of the room is full of near blindingly bright rays of lights. They come from holes in the metal.

On the screen is a young woman familiar looking to them. Her name is Kalliav.

She has a mess of very dark red long hair.

She has nasty reddish scars down her hands, neck, and the back of her head.

She looks kind of frail. Yet, she has well polished red painted nails.

She has metal cuffs on her wrists. But, the chain links are melted off.

She wears a near blackish brown puffy sleeved gown.

With low medium crackles in counterpoise to her soft near upbeat voice... Kalliav says, "hello Captain."

She's looking at the screen in a really determined way. But...she's also teary eyed.

Solemn... Mal says, "Kalliav. Quite a creepifying place you took now. Faint chuckle. It's good to see you. I take it you're holding your self up decent and independent in the Verse?"

Four to five months earlier, on Niska's Skyplex...

The lights in the halls were all the brighter. The lingering darkness in the torture chamber was all the darker.

Zoe and Mal were walking back to Serenity.

But, with everything he's been through... Mal almost tripped from built up dizziness from his left.

He was beginning to lose consciousness. His vision was getting blurry all a sudden.

Zoe was helping him walk back, kind of carrying him.

Mal was mumbling, "this is the thing...I can... Violent cough! Violent cough! I can walk, damnit."

Zoe sharply pointed out, "I ain't letting you die, sir."

Mal got quiet after that.

But, on the way back... Zoe noticed someone by Serenity.

It was Kalliav.

She was down to rags for clothes and shivering. Her arms were in chains.

Zoe told Book to check on her.

Zoe was carrying Mal's body to the Infirmary. Simon was busy treating Mal for his near fatal injuries.

But, when Book went to check on Kalliav... River was already there.

She had brought over a black shirt and tan gray pants. She pulled them off one of Niska's dead men.

It was something of a loose fit. But, nothing adjusting the pants belt couldn't fix well enough.

Sounding distant and pained all at once... River was reflecting, "no power in the verse should kill a good girl."

Some tears fell from her face.

Sounding very shaken... Kalliav said, "thank you."

But... She very faintly smiled: In part because she was starting to shiver a lot less.

Book very faintly smiled knowingly toward River. River briefly very faintly smiled back.

Presently...

Kalliav very faintly smiles.

With some mixed feelings... Kalliav reflects, "you've been really kind to me. Faint sniffle. Gave me a new life when no one else would. But..."

Mal asks, "what's wrong?"

There's a brief nervous silence.

Somewhat cryptic... Kalliav figures, "I want you to know who pinched you. Then, you'll know what I want after I tell you."

Inara considers, "all right, Kalliav. Who ruined our bank job?"

There's a tense silence.

Then... A creepy smirk forms on Kalliav's face.

She reveals, "I did it. I did it!"

And, in spite of some tears falling from her face... She laughs.

Everyone is wide eyed...too stunned for words.

* * *

 _Act II_

Near everyone glares heatedly her way.

Book glares. But, not as heatedly.

Kaylee is finding it hard to look up.

Everyone is teary eyed. Hard sniffles and faint sniffles fill the cockpit.

Before anyone else can say anything... River brings ups, "I know now. Sniffle! Knew soon as seein' the painfully crowded lights. Wrapped with Niska. But... Hard sniffle. I have to know: How did I not read you?"

Kalliav laughs.

Sounding impressed... She says, "Adelai were right. You have a dreadful reputation for being on target. Laugh. Security cameras weren't shot. How did we not see the "real" you behind the Alliance branded torture?"

She steps back a little.

She gets out a fancy mostly gray lit Personal Cortex Access Device pad.

Hieroglyphic styled symbols appear down a sand colored side menu screen.

And, appearing next to it... Black and white security footage was playing...of River.

She murmurs, "can't look. Can't look."

She shoots dead three of Niska's men without looking.

Inara and Mal murmur, "oh god." Simon murmurs, "oh my god."

Fully realizing what the security footage means and looking at it is too much for Inara and Kaylee.

Kaylee and River hug each other tight.

Kaylee is crying over her shoulder.

All the while... River tries to be assuring, "princesses: We'll be okay. Sniffle! We'll be okay."

Silent tears fall from her face.

Inara hugs Mal tight.

She is sobbing over his shoulder.

Mal somewhat shakily hugs her back.

Tears don't fall from his face. But, he sniffles hard.

Four to five months earlier, on Niska's Skyplex...

Niska's assistant in torture was strangling a critically injured Mal from behind with silvery tubes.

Mal was struggling to breathe and break free.

They crash backwards...through the shattering glass window behind them.

Niska ran to the room across from the torture chamber. A identical gray sofa was there.

Drips of dark red liquid were still around his mouth. The back of his hand got most of it.

He pressed a square yellow button sticking out of a closed gray control box.

A observatory elevator modeled shuttle was kind of slowly lowering down. Before, it was being built behind Niska's office.

In spite of shivering... Kalliav was standing firm by the slidable bulkhead door.

Niska was catching his breath some.

After a bit... He said, "Kalliav... How is my P.C.A.D. pad?"

Kalliav very faintly smiled.

She took out his Personal Cortex Access Device pad from under some of her rags.

She was quickly handing it to him.

With some relief... Niska said, "thank you, my dear wife. Are you the only one left alive?"

They heard footsteps: Jayne's, Zoe's, and Wash's.

Somewhat nervous... Kalliav admitted, "we might as well be. But...security cameras saw the "real" River."

On his P.C.A.D. pad... Niska noticed certain security footage left on on a playback loop.

Niska was looking disturbingly amused. Kalliav very faintly smiled.

Niska laughed. He was concluding, "you have proved many times to me your word is not gossip. Now I think it's time for you to prove to me reputation. River Tam has proved her dreadful reputation for being on target is solid. Gossip of her as a reader may not be gossip. But, she's younger. Solid on a thing at a time. Her strength and failing. Get to know the "real them" well as possible before departing. Yes?"

In the middle of him talking... A lot of loud choos were heard from the other room.

Niska's assistant in torture fell down into the Skyplex shaft in his dying breaths.

Sounding less nervous... Kalliav was answering, "yes Adelai. I would love to."

All too cheerfully... Niska was adding, "good."

They kissed: Gentle and firm.

But, just as quickly... The shuttle doors were opening.

They were pulling away.

Niska was getting into the shuttle.

He waved back to her.

He closed the shuttle door with his other hand as he did.

More footsteps.

The shuttle took off further down the Skyplex shaft...through a opening hatch before the black of space.

Kalliav feinted coughing violently some.

She was bending over on the floor when Wash and Jayne came to check the room for anyone.

Presently...

The damning security footage of River fades away at last.

Kalliav explains further, "we got to know some of the "real" you. Had to stay low in the new life you got me. But, we had to have more. Then he was corpsified by The Alliance. You all got rich. I now know the "real" you. Hard sniffle. If only he were alive to see my good reputation."

Cuttingly... Jayne mutters, "gorram yao noo. Why the ruttin' hell you go marry him?! Sniffle! I know psychotic. But, I figure he ain't worth it."

Kalliav somberly laughs. She recalls, "my nephew. He tried to convince me to leave Niska: Said there's no good in marryin' him. Druggin' him to prepare him for torture was my first test. But, no one snatched me. I fell in love with his tortures, and that were "just from gossip". Laugh! Sending my nephew screamed of yī zhǒng juéwàng de juéwàng xíngwéi. They must were screaming when they saw his dead body. The family I gladly left behind!"

Meanwhile... River and Kaylee walk away from the cockpit together.

They head down to Kaylee's room. River somewhat shakily closes the bunk door behind them.

Mal comments, "so you were always dead crazy on top of it."

All too confidently... Kalliav considers, "perhaps. Still... Somber sigh. Being his slave was just a cover around other folk. He said to all them he just liked the name. But, I'm Kalliav Niska. He could be gentle with no other. But, he had to get to know the "real" me before we could marry. Faint laugh. How else did I get these pretty scars? Gettin' hit by a billiard table?"

Suddenly... Inara turns to sharply glare at her.

Some more tears fall. But, she isn't sobbing now.

Inara remarks, "I know how you did. You're inflicting compatibility on yourself for your very poor spirit."

Book very faintly smiles in mixed feelings. Simon, Zoe, Jayne, Wash, and Mal faintly chuckle and laugh.

With a bittersweet glare... Kalliav goes on, "I'm going to love takin' revenge on you. I saw him die from a escape pod! Hard sniffle! You near killed him, Captain. Jayne and Saffron might as well did when they took him and gave him over to The Alliance."

Zoe and Mal smirk on the first part. Jayne smirks to himself on the last part.

Kalliav sniffles hard.

After a bit... She says, "any minute now... Faint laugh. Saffron will be mine to torture. You're welcome to..."

Jayne is getting real angry now. He's about ready to shout.

But, then... A woman whispers something to Kalliav.

She is in the shadows, carrying a very dark blue machine gun with a silvery tube going down it.

With a furious glare... Kalliav goes, "what? She escaped?!"

In the cockpit on Serenity... Most everyone faintly laughs and chuckles.

Sounding a little better already... Jayne comments, "she's my girlfriend. Ain't sure why you surprised."

Kalliav moderately sighs. She mutters under her breath, "bǎ tāmen gǎo dé yītuánzāo."

More out loud... She's quick to go, "it's fine! It's real fine. I still have two hostages."

Everyone glares heatedly at her.

Kalliav bittersweetly laughs. She taunts, "oh. Did I forget to tell you?"

She shows two recently taken short videos on the Personal Cortex Access Device pad.

For both... Niska's too easily propped back up set of vertical triple torture boards is in the background.

The hostages have black cloth blindfolds over their eyes. Their hands are tied behind them.

One is a retired elderly smuggler that's been living pretty on Persephone. His name is Eli Sandutsa.

He's been a trustworthy contact of Mal's and Zoe's for a few years: When there isn't a Alliance crackdown or the like.

He always took care of his own first.

He has medium silver hair under his tan gray cowboy hat. He wears a expensive white suit.

He has a medium silvery goatee.

He's lanky. But, his head goes past the torture boards some.

He has a neurological condition known as The Sparks. Without a specially made assistive bars unit with pressure pillows built in, he suffers from muscle spasms and shaking limbs.

And yet, in spite of Eli's violently shaking legs and arms... He's faintly smirking to himself.

The second...is Rena: The Councilor of Ezra.

Councilor is a popular title among Parliament members who want to not use their names in public. But, Rena is not like most.

Ezra has been full of civil unrest after the Unification War.

Settlers on both sides made towns for themselves in the desert plains because everywhere else in the verse was taken. It wasn't helped at all by Niska's syndicate supplying weapons: To both sides on Ezra and further out.

Yet, for her first year in office... Rena successfully negotiated peace on Ezra.

They disarmed weapons on both sides: With the exception of making a declaration to Parliament for them to approve first. But, neither side wants the wrath of The Alliance on them.

And so, in spite of Rena's very tough mental wall to most anyone... She's faintly sobbing to herself.

Roughly a half hour later, in the galley on Serenity...

Everyone looks shook at the table. It's chillingly quiet.

Mal is sitting at one end of the table, with Inara to his left. Book is sitting at the opposite end.

River is sitting between Kaylee and Simon. Kaylee and River are holding hands in comfort under the table.

Jayne, Zoe, and Wash are sitting on the other side of the table.

With some lingering teariness in their eyes... Kaylee, Inara, and River faintly sniffle.

Zoe checks in concern, "Kaylee? You real sure you're okay?"

With a very faint smile... Kaylee mostly assures, "I'll be okay. Faint sniffle. It's a hard Verse out there. Ain't always easy knowin' who are our friends. Faint sniffle. But, we still come out okay. We do come out okay, right?"

Everyone very faintly smiles.

Before Mal or Simon can say anything... River faintly laughs.

She mostly assures, "rare a power in the Verse that I don't read or comprehend. Sniffle. Not saying I'm a girl with no flaws. But...I have good friends here. We'll be okay. Inara too."

Inara looks a little red in the face. She really wasn't hoping for attention on her feelings now.

With a polite smile... She says, "thank you, River."

But, just as quickly... Attention turned back to Mal.

Mal is hunched over some, with his arms down on the table.

Teary eyed still... He heavily sighs.

After a bit... He decides, "you know that...that this is a awful hard decision I had to make. Kalliav is more crazy than her husband to be flying his scars so...free. Sniffle! Reckon The Councilor is corpsified soon as she snatched her up: Probably out looking for revenge with her too."

Inara gets up from her chair.

Glaring fiercely... She shouts lowly, "Mal, you don't know that!"

Mal real nervously gulps.

He says, "I imagine you're upset. Faint sniffle. I wish Kalliav would be more reasonable. But, she real don't look to be. I have decided we'll be going to rescue Eli. No point in trying to rescue both and getting corpsified ourselves over it. Faint sniffle. Anybody has any more awful complaints, they'd best know of me considerin' takin' you off my boat to go with it."

Inara gulps very nervously. But, the glare on her face remains.

Kaylee scolds, "Captain! Don't got to be a robot about it."

Mal doesn't say anything back.

Somberly... Inara tries to suggest, "Mal, please. Sniffle. Let me take my shuttle and..."

Her glare has faded.

Mal stands straight up. He turns to face her.

With a warning glare... He mutters back, "and let you off to get killed by Miss Niska? No. No way in hell."

Inara's fierce glare returns.

Silent tears fall from her face as she shakily stands there.

With a storm of mixed feelings... She explodes at him, "you always bring us to hell with you! Hard sniffle! Merciful Brahma! It's like you're the only one that ever matters on this ship!"

And, with that... Inara storms off, heading for her shuttle.

There's a very tense silence.

Everyone finds it hard to look up. Faint sniffles and hard sniffles fill the galley.

Sounding extremely awkward... Mal murmurs, "anybody else have words now?"

River sniffles. She remarks, "I hate washing up red on you. Always have. Faint sniffle. Not better in it."

Trying to keep calm... Mal concludes, "not more than typical, I reckon. Now..."

Then... Book speaks up, "no Captain. It's not."

He's glaring warningly at him.

Mal realizes, "Shepherd Book. Might've guessed."

Book gets up.

Solemn... Book outright considers, "you should respect Inara's wishes. The Councilor of Ezra has every right to live as Eli. Sniffle. Yes: Maybe they both can't be saved. But, if there is a chance, we should save them. We'd be plagued by guilt if we don't at least more objectively consider it."

Everyone very faintly smiles. That is...except for Mal.

He seems to be getting more sweaty and tense by the minute.

Mal reflects, "I've been in the war as well, Derrial. I know the kind of person Kalliav really is. And, you think you're in a better position to tell me what my decisions are? Giving your word is air in war, Shepherd. Nothing more when it comes right down to it. When the going reaches the right level of rough...words mean nothing much for it! Hard sniffle. The hurt is done."

Book's warning glare fades.

He points out, "Kalliav is troubling. But, she isn't The Alliance. Can you really no longer tell the difference?"

Mal firmly says, "I don't need to be preached by you."

Book walks over to him. He's still facing him as he does.

He firmly argues, "I think you do, son."

Mal very faintly laughs.

Cuttingly... He questions, "come to think of it...were you ever a preacher? Or, did you kill him too to infiltrate The Alliance?"

Book is getting teary eyed. He's breathing hard, trying to stay calm.

After a bit... And, with a warning glare... He tries to say, "I don't think that is a appropriate question. I think you should..."

Not really taking the hint... Mal pushes back, "then tell me plainly: When things take a turn toward kao, do you drop to your knees and pray? Or, do you stand up for people and yourself, make real hard decisions, and do what needs to be done to survive? To live to kill or repent another..."

Before he can finish the sentence... Book angrily punches Mal in the jaw.

Some dark red liquid flies out of Mal's mouth.

He falls to the floor.

* * *

 _Act III_

Around then...

River whispers to Kaylee, "can't look. Sniffle! Care for you."

Very nervously... Kaylee just says, "okay."

She closes her eyes. She covers them with her hands.

Presently...

Everyone else at the table is shocked.

Mal wipes away the lingering dark red liquid around his mouth.

He gets back up from the floor.

Book is breathing hard, trying to calm down.

In a creepy kind of way... Mal comments, "yeah. That's what I thought. You make decisions. But, you ain't been a captain."

Then... He orders, "Wash, get us in the air."

Everyone except Kaylee has storms of mixed feelings in their eyes, ready to explode.

Jayne storms off first. He can't even make sense of what just happened.

Book storms off, heading for the weights in the cargo hold. He needs to let off some hot air.

Wash and Simon both look ready to say something.

River whispers something hard to hear to Simon. Zoe whispers something hard to hear to Wash.

Very reluctantly... Wash and Simon storm off without much words to say.

Simon goes back to the Infirmary. Wash goes to the cockpit with Zoe.

Meanwhile... Kaylee still has her hands covering her eyes.

She asks, "can I look now?"

Teary eyed... River very faintly smiles.

Teary eyed... Mal very faintly smiles back knowingly to her.

He then walks away, going to his bunk.

River tells Kaylee, "yes. I'll tell you what happened when you feel okay enough."

Kaylee opens her eyes.

She solemnly says, "sure, sweetie. Thank you." River adds, "you are welcome."

They somberly faintly smile.

They hug each other tight.

They stay there like that for who knows how long.

And, all the while... River can't help but feel deeply saddened.

In her mind... She sees the part of Serenity they're in burning down and falling for a asteroid.

A minute later, the waking nightmare goes away. But, the sadness remains.

Several hours later...

Niska's Skyplex orbits the planet Ezra. It eerily looks as it did four to five months ago.

Inara's shuttle is speeding for it. It's fifteen minutes away.

Inara is piloting.

She's teary eyed. But, she has a determined look on her face.

Somewhat nervous... Inara asks, "are you sure you wanted to come? Sniffle. It could have been Zoe. You wouldn't have to..."

Dead serious... And, teary eyed... Book insists, "I believe I do. Sniffle. Your captain and myself are not as different as he wants his crew to believe."

Apparently, Inara isn't alone. Book is sitting in the co-pilot seat next to her.

Inara gets shaky. But, she keeps firm hands on the steering wheel.

Very nervous... Inara admits, "actually, I do know. Hard sniffle. He..."

In a collected way... Book asks, "what has he done, Inara?"

Inara reveals to him, "he...sent me a letter. Do you know why he thinks he's more damned than you?"

Solemn... Book admits, "I discovered his sin well enough from pages in the Bible. Hard sniffle. It's hard to consider forgiveness for his sin. But... Hard sniffle. I think I'm still damned more than him."

Sounding a little better... Inara concludes, "then maybe there is still hope for him. Sniffle. Thank you, Shepherd."

They both very faintly smile.

Soon... Inara's shuttle docks in the docking bay of Niska's Skyplex.

Inara and Book head out of her shuttle.

Inara draws out her Ruger Mk II pistol. Book draws out his long tipped gun.

The docking bay is dark. But...the sound of somewhat distant yelling can be heard within the Skyplex.

Meanwhile, on Persephone...

Jayne, Mal, and Zoe stand side by side in a mostly faint red train station styled warehouse. Serenity is right behind them.

Mal has drawn out his Liberty Hammer pistol. Zoe has drawn out a pair of custom Colt 1860 Army revolvers. Jayne has drawn out Vera in one hand, and a Heckler & Koch MP5K-PDW submachine gun in the other.

Zoe is wearing a red shirt under a black bulletproof vest with pulled down sleeves instead of her overcoat. She wears the silver bracelet she got for Christmas on her wrist.

The man with the silver headset from earlier stands ready with his pistol. His name is Ott.

He has some Chinese tattoos in black ink down his neck and the sides of his face. He wears dark purple gloves, a metallic looking leather belt with mysterious near whitish yellow tinted vials, gray flowery lining in his robes, purple pants, a dark brown holster strapped over his upper right leg, and matching boots.

To Ott's left is a skinny bare chested man with messy frontless dark brown hair. His name is Twein.

He carries several curved throwing knives with orange hilts. He wears clay like gray bracers with metal rims.

He has many reddish centipede like scars over his chest and down around his right eye. He has many silver earrings over his right eye and right ear: Even one of a skull face.

To Ott's right is the woman with the very dark blue machine gun from earlier. Her name is Katen.

She has slightly short curly blond hair. She has a gold metal stud on the left side of her nose.

She wears very dark red lingerie with short bat wing like sleeves, a matching bra, and matching boots with pantyhose. She also wears a very dark blue circuit and motor filled backpack on her back, connected by matching tubes to matching assistive bars around her arm and machine gun: For added strength and speed alone.

Behind Ott... Eli's somewhat violently shaking body is lying on some pressure pillows on a stretcher.

There's a tense silence.

All too casually... Jayne goes, "hey. You look sort of familiar. Ya sure we ain't got sexed?"

Zoe annoyedly rolls her eyes. Twein laughs to himself.

Mal and Ott moderately sigh in frustration.

With a furious glare... Katen cries out, "hwun dan! I'm not her!"

She shoots a round of bullets with her machine gun.

A lot of loud choos.

Zoe and Mal duck behind some crates to the left. Jayne ducks behind some crates to the right.

The crates are mostly splintered to pieces. All that's left are damaged goods and the back ends.

Sounding somewhat stunned... Jayne asks, "what?! I were just tryin' to get in good with her."

But, just as quickly... Zoe, Mal, and Jayne shoot back with their guns.

A lot of loud choos. A lot of bullet holes in the walls and crates.

Ott, Katen, and Twein split up...and fast.

They're using stacks of crates as cover as they run back around for Mal, Zoe, and Jayne.

Ott and Twein cough violently. They're clutching their dark red liquid dripping sides.

But, Twein is running on adrenaline. He soon carries on like it's nothing.

Zoe can't help but comment, "nothing that ain't made me want to shoot you too."

Mal and Zoe laugh.

Jayne glares their way.

Sounding amused... Mal points out, "you really thought that could be Saffron?"

Awkwardly... Jayne admits, "well, I might have."

Zoe very faintly smirks in amusement. But, her eyes are full of pity.

Meanwhile, back in Niska's Skyplex...

Inara and Book cautiously walk down a dark corridor.

Some loud choos. Violent coughing.

Councilor Rena is tied to the set of triple torture boards by her arms and legs. Her blindfold is gone.

Her dress is gone. Pearls from her torn off necklace on the floor.

In the dimness between near blindingly bright rays of light...hints of a puddle of dark red liquid are behind her.

Bullet holes are down along her spine left and right. Dark red liquid keeps dripping from them.

She murmurs under her breath, "I know you're..."

Another loud choo.

Councilor Rena yells. It's near deafening.

She murmurs, "...you're angry. Violent cough! Couldn't we... Violent cough! ...talk first? Sniffle! Please."

Then... She sobs uncontrollably.

Kalliav is standing behind her. She's holding a pair of battery styled blackened mostly dark brown handguns.

Inara goes into the torture chamber first. Book stays behind by the open doorway, ready to fire.

With a creepy faint smile... Kalliav comments, "I will come back every hour with bullets 'till you're a talking veg. And, you still sound like a politician. Laugh. I want to see how you still stand in the desert sun...after I'm..."

Dead serious... Inara tells her, "you let Rena go. Get somebody to get me a stretcher if you have to. Hard sniffle! Now you put down your guns. Or, I'll kill you."

She's aiming her pistol right up to Kalliav's head from behind.

Some silent tears fall from Inara's face. But, she doesn't notice.

Kalliav laughs hard. She figures, "I was expecting Captain Reynolds to come and try to save Rena himself."

Somewhat nervous... Inara brings up, "unfortunately, he thought Rena was already dead. I knew there was a fair chance he was right. Hard sniffle. But...I'm glad I could come in time."

Unphased... Kalliav insists, "oh, that's fine. If you kill me...my men will kill you. Then who will save Rena?"

Several muscular men come charging in from the other room, ready to fire with dark brown and silver rifles.

They have tattoos on the sides of their faces. They wear black bulletproof vests.

As she sees them coming fast... Inara very nervously gulps in hesitation.

But, just as quickly... Book shoots at Kalliav's men with some loud choos.

They groan violently some. They fight the urge to clutch their shot hands, almost completely dropping rifles.

Book drops his long tipped gun.

In the darkness... He punches them out one by one before they can even see him.

They fall unconscious on the floor with a loud thud.

But, in those seconds... Kalliav slams the back of one of her handguns into Inara's pistol...knocking it hard away.

It lands backwards on the floor with a loud thud.

With a stunned look... Inara reactively clutches her throbbing hand.

Kalliav shoots her side with her other handgun.

A loud choo and a crackle.

Inara violently groans. She doubles over, clutching her side.

Some dark red liquid dots appear through her clothes...a ways from the dark red liquid dripping wound.

Very nervous... Inara mutters under her breath, "gos se! How are you...?!"

Sounding smug... Kalliav explains, "circuit filaments inside the barrels of my handguns. When I press the trigger, they run with electric current. My own design. Laugh. Funny. Didn't thought I'd be facin' you."

Back in a certain warehouse on Persephone...

Mal goes, "okay Ott. Where were...we?"

Suddenly... Katen shoots Zoe with her sped up arm and machine gun.

A loud choo.

Zoe doubles over...crashing violently backwards into Mal.

They both hit the ground real hard.

Zoe is losing consciousness. Her vision is getting blurry.

Dark red liquid is starting to seep from her side.

Jayne drops his Heckler & Koch MP5K-PDW.

He starts to reach for one of Vera's grenades.

Worried... And, teary eyed... Jayne mutters, "Mal! Zoe! Stay down, gorramit. I'll fix this...!"

Twein creepily holds a throwing knife in his teeth.

Twein violently throws one into Jayne's shoulder...with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

Jayne cries out in a almost deafening yell.

He reactively clutches his arm. But, his arm is still holding Vera.

With a faint smile... Ott says, "the war is over, Malcolm. Give me your gun and I won't shoot you in the face. I'll just bring you to Kalliav. Faint laugh. She might not kill you if you're nice."

Ott and Katen have their guns aimed at Mal and Jayne.

Mal barely pulls himself out from under Zoe's body. Her body rolls to her unhurt side.

Katen sighs annoyedly. She comments, "can we move this along for once, Ott? I could spray them all down in a mite and we'll be off this miserable rock."

Ott briefly turns to her, glaring warningly.

Mal is already standing back up. He's looking contemplatively at his pistol, turned sideways in his hand.

As he does... Mal highlights, "you know, this here got me through the war. Still ain't convinced I lost."

On the last part... He drops his gun.

But, just as quickly... He violently kicks it up into Ott's head.

And, with a violent groan... Ott falls unconscious on the ground.

Twein and Katen look shocked.

In those seconds of shock... Mal punches out Katen from her left.

Jayne cuts Twein in the chest with his big-ass knife.

And, with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter... He falls dead.

Simon is already coming with his med kit to do what he can for Zoe.

Mal and Jayne very faintly smile in relief: Knowing he's bound to save Zoe in time.

Mal goes to check on Eli.

Eli is holding his faintly shaking arms. But...he's coughing and shaking more violently.

With not enough pressure pillows around... The shock to his senses from the sound of bullets shot is too much on his heart.

With a very faint smile and faint teary eyes... Eli says, "I... Violent cough! Knew you'd kept to rescuin' me."

Teary eyed... Mal tries to insist, "Eli, you ain't slippin'. Sniffle! I'll get the..."

Eli very faintly laughs. He figures, "no, Mal. I'm ready to die. Violent cough! Wife died of old age. Debts and promises paid. Violent cough! Be sure to take care to yours. One last thrill were... Violent cough! ...enough."

Then... His head rolls more to the side.

He's dead.

Mal sniffles hard...bent over Eli's body for who knows how long.

Meanwhile, back on Niska's Skyplex...

Kalliav is about to shoot again.

But... Book angrily punches her from behind.

The handguns go flying from Kalliav's hands.

One lands in some dark red liquid on the floor with a splash. One just lands on the floor.

Book is breathing hard, trying to calm down.

Kalliav coughs violently some. Some dark red liquid comes out of her mouth.

She barely gets up, clutching her back.

She glares furiously at Book.

She draws out a wicked big curved knife. It looks exactly like Niska's.

A muscular guy with a cigar in his mouth is coming down the stairs. His name is Tyrus.

He's carrying a dark gray machine gun with a silvery tube down it. He wears a open dark brown vest, matching pants, a somewhat torn up and stretched out yellowish tan T-shirt, dark purple gloves, and a small black bowler hat.

By then, Inara has picked her pistol back up.

Tyrus shoots a round of bullets at Inara. He's careful not to aim near the torture boards.

A lot of loud choos.

Inara barely ducks. Many a bullet flies over her back.

As Tyrus is reloading his machine gun... Inara somewhat swiftly gets back up.

A loud choo.

Inara shoots Tyrus in the side...making him reactively lower his machine gun.

Tyrus groans violently. He's clutching his side with one hand, hunched over.

Dark red liquid is dripping from his side.

Inara groans violently. She struggles to still stand from her wound.

With a warning glare... She says, "no. You aren't shooting any one."

With a angry glare... Tyrus mutters back, "you?! You ain't look you got the muscle to stop me."

He charges down the stairs. He leaves his machine gun behind.

Inara is glaring. And yet, she's very faintly smiling.

Book grabs Kalliav's arm with one hand. His other is around her neck.

Teary eyed... Book says, "please. Sniffle. Don't make me kill you!"

Kalliav is starting to choke. But...she's shakily still holding the knife.

She tries to cut at him anyway. But, Book forces the knife out of her hand.

It lands by the handgun by some dark red liquid.

Book's stomach clenches at seeing the dark red liquid reflected in the knife's blade.

He gets wide eyed.

He finally lets go.

Tyrus violently slams his fist down at Inara.

Inara falls to the floor.

Her pistol goes flying.

Tyrus smugly smiles.

He pulls up most of Inara's unconscious body with one hand. He's about to beat her to death with his other.

But... Inara suddenly opens her eyes.

It turns out she was feinting being punched by him.

And, much to Tyrus's shock... Inara knocks him out with the hilt of her knife.

Tyrus falls against the floor with a loud thud.

Inara kind of easily breaks free of his loosened grip.

Kalliav is bent over, very faintly still breathing.

Book is off to the corner of the room. He's bent over...faintly sobbing.

To him... Everything else seems forgotten in that moment.

With a creepy faint smile... Kalliav grabs one of her handguns from the floor.

Quick to notice... Inara glares heatedly at her.

Soon... Inara has her knife by her throat.

Nervous... Kalliav suggests, "you goin' to kill me now?"

With mixed feelings... Inara admits, "actually...no."

Kalliav faintly laughs. She concludes, "Inara. This is my first job for the "real" me. If you turn me in, you turn yourselves in. I go to a Alliance satellite none wise all, and make it back out easy."

Teary eyed still... Inara points out, "I know. It's the only reason why I'm letting you stay here."

She lets her go. But, she keeps standing very close behind her.

Kalliav turns back to her.

With a creepy smile... She figures, "you real aren't Mal. I'll come for you all and kill you. And, I'm going to love making you, River, and your mechanic beg for me to finally give you death."

Inara gulps nervously.

But... She firmly says, "you have to recover first. Besides...I don't think Saffron will let you."

Caught off guard... Kalliav goes, "what?"

She sniffles hard. She's a little teary eyed.

With a very faint smile... Inara reflects, "I'm still not really sure about her. But, it's better than having to kill: Even you."

All too joyful... Kalliav says, "you will regret it, and I'm goin' to love it."

Dead serious... Inara figures, "you are wrong. Now, you get me a stretcher and let us go. Or, I will be sure to kill you."

In a defeated way... Kalliav mutters back, "fine."

She reluctantly goes to get a stretcher.

But, the whole time... Inara follows her to be sure she doesn't try anything.

In spite of the teariness in his eyes... Book very faintly smiles to himself.

He has been given more than enough time to get himself back together. And, it seems it came from God.

One night later...

Mal is sitting straight up on the edge of his bed...facing the blurred image of a woman all too familiar to him.

Pained tears keep falling. He can't help but faintly sob.

In his mind... He remembers what he did that night.

Zoe and Mal split up in the night. He said he had to do the job alone, and to pick him up after it was done.

Unification Day flags raised high all the sharper and brighter. Luzige raising drinks high together with a crowd of folk.

Luzige was a rich Alliance military backer with medium black hair and a matching beard. Rumor had it that he was taking a new Companion fresh out of the Companion Academy.

A security alarm. Thunder and rain outside the smashed through glass door. Storm clouds all the darker.

Mal was aiming his pistol for Luzige's head. He was lying asleep under the dark blue wavy sheets on the bed.

But, lying next to him...was his mostly unclothed sister Elle Reynolds.

Elle had slightly curly medium brown hair.

She was very kind and caring. She drove their mother insane because she never turned away a stray or a thief.

But, when Mal saw her sleeping with Luzige... He looked real furious.

Elle started to cry, "please! Faint sob. Please let me explain, Mal. Please...!"

And, in her scream... Mal shot her and Luzige dead.

His silhouette running like hell a step ahead of the Alliance police.

Out of the mental images burned in Mal's memories... The blurred image fades.

And, in it's place...is a teary eyed Inara.

She has a sympathetic hand on his as she stands there.

Mal takes a nervous breath.

He stops faintly sobbing. But, some more pained tears fall.

In mixed feelings... Inara tells him, "I... Hard sniffle! I wish it wasn't very complicated. I mean..."

She takes a deep breath.

Then... She continues, "I know why you kept this secret so long. In your own way...you are always thoughtful and kind. Hard sniffle! Why else would I still love you...even though I'm leaving? Hard sniffle. Shepherd told me he hit you. I don't want to be really hurt by you, Mal. Please. Hard sniffle. Please give me some time to think about this side of you."

Mal gulps very nervously over it all.

Then... He very faintly chuckles.

He solemnly voices, "that's still a kindness. I wouldn't forgive me. Hard sniffle. I just want you to know that I...I wish things could be different. Hard sniffle. Every thing 'cept for the war."

Inara solemnly voices, "Mal... Hard sniffle. I'm really sorry. But...I really appreciate you could understand."

And, with that... Inara somewhat lightly pulls her hand away.

She climbs up the ladder.

She fast walks away...leaving behind a trail of silent tears.

Late that night...

In River and Simon's bunk... River is shivering and shaking some in her sleep.

As the minutes go on... Flashes of the mental image of a part of Serenity burning begin to creep back in.

Soft humming chimes play in a instrumental part of her music album collection. Yet, River fights a growing urge to scream.

Faint echoes of Kaylee's screams, Inara leaving...and Elle's screams.

Meanwhile, in the galley...

Teary eyed still... Mal admits, "look Shepherd. Faint sniffle. I were worried you and Inara wouldn't come back from a-runnin' off without tellin' me. But...it don't matter none to me that you hit me."

He is standing by the back end of the table. Book is standing in the doorway of the open door, facing him.

With a slightly cold tone... Book solemnly points out, "which is exactly why I need to be away from you. Because sooner or later... Hard sniffle. It won't matter to me either."

They both sniffle hard. They both find it hard to look up.

There's a very nervous silence.

Then... Book slowly but surely walks away...leaving Serenity.

Mal heavily sighs. He sniffles hard.

He slowly walks back to his bunk: Teary eyed and alone.

But, right then and there...it seemed the only way forward for him.

And, as he does...

Serenity and Inara's shuttle are flying on separate ways...against the black of space.

* * *

 _Loosely Written But Still Based On_

1) the comic mini-series Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews; but more based on the comic mini-series Those Left Behind to come in another episode

2) the character Eli Sandutsa; from the Firefly RPG campaign book Ghosts in the Black by Robin Laws


	15. S2, Ep 5: Riverfront

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Riverfront:

 _Teaser_

It's night over Londinium. The stars faintly sparkle in the black.

Several limo wide hovercars and several Alliance flag decorated government issue stark gray hovercars are parked in the very dark blue porch styled docking bay of the Londinium Museum.

Two weather vane like floodlight equipped security cameras are on the flat pantheon styled roof.

Some burn marks are along the rim of one of the security cameras. But, it's been fixed up.

In the Londinium Museum...

There is sharp white lighting from lights in the stone gray ceiling. The rectangular tiled floor is polished space tan, with little motion sensor lights underneath. Four black cameras are on every Roman styled stone like pillar, and on every dark blue and dark green stone like corner of wall.

In every gallery, several Alliance police officers are on patrol. Over every gallery entrance and exit, there's a banner with a tan yellow Blue Sun symbol: Dark blue for history, light blue for art.

There are small gold lined glass cases on warehouse styled shelves around lounge areas with dark blue and dark brown chairs. There's booth sized light brownish tan bronze lined glass cases with built in fans and pairs of security cameras for the Magna Carta and other declarations of law from the Earth-That-Was: 3D printed restoration or not.

There are 3D printed restorations of Aztecan and Babylonian tapestries on stone slabs with only some missing pieces of tapestry, Native American quilts with over 200 patches of brightly red and orange to dark yellow suns and moons, French quilts with outlined red roses, gold lined glass cases with fancible and not so fancible metal chairs and canister covered tables from the days of the Exodus from the Earth-That-Was, and matte paintings of light gray saucer space stations with spear like towers and of lunar monorails reminiscent of the Earth-That-Was from 1960's to 1980's.

Several wavecasters are gathered around a large metallic circular table with a holographic screen: With black Alliance dedicated source boxes ready to broadcast a restoration the next morning.

From several 3D printed restorations in Europe... The Londinium Museum is halfway to restoring everything about Lyon, France for the historical records.

Just rediscovering the invention of the cinematograph got Alliance historians in Londinium excited. There's a big shindig being held in honor of it in the wide open lobby.

But... There's no dancing: Only small talk and polite laughter around the table, roasted tubers with beef, crackers, cheese dip, chocolate dip, and sugar cookies on small ceramic plates.

Two sets of spiraling gray stairs go up and two sets of spiraling gray stairs go down around the information desk.

The information desk is surrounded by a miniature marble white medieval styled tower. It doubles as a security post for three Alliance police officers at any given time.

On the circular table's holographic screen... There's flying by planes and newspapers, modern art cupboard styled apartments of Guillotière and mostly white manor styled office complexes of Confluence crumpling and building up again in sped up years, generations of cartoony blue and red melty marshmallow street art along some of the roads...and the washing waves of the two neighboring rivers Rhône and Saône over the edge of Lyon's riverfront.

From a very dark green vertically floating holographic window among many... There's even a briefly appearing excerpt from a French textbook that says, "in the Renaissance, fiscal advantages and the organization of numerous trade fairs attracted bankers from Florence and merchants from all over Europe."

There are Alliance historians, some Alliance politicians, their chauffeurs, and even a few Companions gathered around the circular table. Several kids are dressed up in black and gray suits and fancy pink to bright green Victorian dresses: Like their parents, who made them come.

Suddenly... The alarm loudly goes off.

Alliance police officers have already drawn out their sonic rifles.

Another Alliance police officer calls out, "stop! Stop right...! !"

Not pausing to look back... River runs out of the gallery.

She's wearing a faint red and faint yellow swirly top she sewed from better days: With gold Gelt like bits of wrapping paper sewn in like they're being blown in the autumn wind.

The Alliance police fire their sonic rifles at her with very low choos.

River turns fast away, left of the open doorway.

Several sonic waves barely miss her.

Worried... Kaylee calls out, "sweetie?! Sandra!"

She's wearing a sleeveless wavy bright gold Victorian dress: With a white puffy collarline and fancy ceramic plate styled white arm warmers. She also wears a bright gold bow in the back of her hair.

It's reminiscent of cheese dip. Yet, her strawberry gown is still on Serenity.

The mental image of River taking a Ident card ripples in Kaylee's mind.

Kaylee is running after the Alliance police officers and River.

No answer.

River runs down the hall.

From glimpsing behind her... Alliance police are like slow moving blurs.

Her vision is blurred like a crashing down water tunnel. Pained tears are falling from her face.

Meanwhile... Kaylee starts to run faster down a hall.

But... A medium very light brown haired figure suddenly comes out of nowhere.

Kaylee almost trips over her own feet trying not to bump into her.

But, with a moderate sigh of relief... She's still standing several inches away.

The figure wears a pink lined red Victorian dress and a sparkly diamond necklace. But, there's a cold glare in her eyes.

Fairly nervous... Kaylee asks, "sorry. You ok...ay?"

On the last part... The figure pulls a black Alliance issue pistol on her.

Kaylee is wide eyed in shock. She's getting teary eyed.

With a rounded thick accent... The figure explains all too clearly, "sorry to catch you at a bad time. But, I'm Lestali: A Operative looking out for the interest of The Alliance. Now..."

She pauses in astounding nervousness.

She moderately sighs.

Before Kaylee can say anything though... Operative Lestali continues like it never happened.

Coldly... Operative Lestali brings up, "I don't want to hurt a innocent mechanic girl. But, my patience is thin. Where is Jayne, and who is he working for now?"

Kaylee gulps real nervously.

* * *

 _Act I_

A night earlier...

The stars faintly sparkle in the black.

Middle class and rich folk in shuttle styled hovercars and limo wide hovercars were rushing for home, back around the Londinium apartment complexes.

But, over the Londinium Museum... A Mil Mi-24helicopter modeled ship was approaching.

It had sharp red metal lined stone like side engines, mostly white and dark red paint blobs over its very dark brown sides, and a slidable little metal door right under the ship's cockpit windshield.

Soon as the security cameras and scanners didn't pick up the proper identification... Automatic machine gun systems were swiftly rising up through a sliding open section of the roof.

They were aiming for the mystery ship.

With a lot of loud choos... They shot it down.

But, just as quickly... The slideable little metal door was sliding open.

Vera's gun barrel came out through it.

Jayne was strapped in in the pilot seat.

He was in his aviator like outfit: With aviator goggles and all.

Somewhat irritated... Jayne muttered to Vera, "this ain't all my kind of fun, you know. Least we ought to see these feds squirm."

In seconds... Jayne shot out one of the floodlights with Vera.

Sparks were flying over both security cameras. The little smoke trails cover the security feed.

Jayne's ship was going down fast in building up flames. A smoke trail of its own was following it.

Soon... There was a explosion in mid-air.

Jayne was continuing to come down with a brownish gray tan parachute. But, in slower descent.

He kept a hand around Vera all the while.

Several teams of two AATSs were sent to look around the Londinium cities.

But, Jayne wasn't found.

Around then, in the security post...

Two big very dark blue rimmed Cortex side screens were all smoky.

Just then... Most of the Cortex screens around the security post were shorting out.

They had gone to black.

A Alliance police officer loudly slammed his fist down against the curved marble white information desk.

He groaned in frustration.

Sternly... He was ordering, "clean up and rebuild every scrap of our security system! We need all the damn screens for tomorrow night. We'll also need to flag a Operative to take care of the fugitive Jayne tomorrow night if it's necessary."

A second Alliance police officer firmly nodded.

He was going to one of the few working Cortex screens in the back.

On a emergency private line... He was starting to form a wave to send over the Cortex to Alliance Intelligence.

The third Alliance police officer was looking real nervous.

She started to say, "but sir..."

The first Alliance police officer stood upright.

He turned to face her.

He shouted lowly, "what?!"

The third Alliance police officer gulped nervously. She pointed out, "we can flag a Operative any time for the good of our security. But, to request a mechanic from The Alliance could take several days."

The first Alliance police officer moderately sighed.

He was sitting down in a very dark blue metal chair.

His back was turned as he does.

After a bit... He commented back, "captain, we don't have several days."

There was a nervous silence.

Then... The Alliance police captain begrudgingly concluded, "fine! Send a wave to the Londinium Mechanics Committee. Even a mechanic with visitor papers is good enough."

The third Alliance police officer moderately sighed.

She was concluding, "very well, sir. I'll send it right away."

She walked over to another of the few working Cortex screens around.

Over a different private line... She was starting to form a wave to send for the Londinium Mechanics Committee.

A day and a night earlier from that night, in the galley on Serenity...

The lights from above seemed all the brighter. The faint shadows from the crew seemed all the grayer.

Everyone was sitting at the table.

Kaylee was more quiet than usual. Because of that, so was most of the crew.

Mal was in his light tan blue undershirt under the straps of his trouser overalls.

Simon was wearing a long sleeved sweatshirt: With the upper half Reseda green and the lower half black.

River was in her very dark red dress: With the very dark tan brown top over it with the underside cut off.

The very dark tan brown top was found like that from a dead patient in the morgue on Ariel. River liked it a lot. So, she bunched it up under her medical gown to take it with her.

After that day, Simon and River argued about keeping it.

But, from what she read from the minds of the family that would come to see the body... She pointed out his family wouldn't care to keep it anyway.

Simon wasn't much happy about it. But, it settled the argument.

In a back part of River's mind...

Corpses sleeping around a Christmas tree in the morgue.

Some were chanting, "wake up. Wake up. Wake up."

A sitting up undead corpse offering a very dark tan brown present wrapped in a shiny silver bow.

Out of the mental images...

Wash was wearing a open buttoned shirt with a soap bubble like orangish red, yellow, and dark blue ribboned sunset. The sunset was before random Hawaiian flowers and several tropical trees in silhouette.

Jayne was wearing his stitched up brown top with the Blue Sun logo across it.

Before the job with the Lassiter... He came to visit his mother once: Bringing the cut top with him.

He told his mother the cut was from a freak accident in the galley with "a beast of a intimidating manner".

Radiant didn't ask any more questions. She just sewed it for him and told him to be more careful cooking next time.

In River's mind...

Preparing the stove. Marking the pan with sizzling ketchup to spell out Jayne's name.

A tightly tied together white rope sack with Jayne squirming in it.

River then shook her head.

She turned off the stove.

She moderately sighed. She muttered to herself, "it doesn't make sense. Not worth eating."

She walked out of the galley.

And... Jayne was shouting, "least untie me, gorramit!"

Out of the mental images...

Kaylee was in her colorful prairie harpy dress. She was also wearing a necklace of light wood blocky beads.

She was only a little teary eyed. But...she found it hard to look up much.

Two empty chairs were to her left. River was on one end of the table to her right.

Kaylee was still really shook from when River told her the full story of Book and Inara leaving.

For a few days, she couldn't think of much anything good.

She just stayed with River and only River. Everyone else on the crew just let her and River be.

Without asking them, Simon got them food and water so they wouldn't have to come to the galley to eat. They just faintly smiled back at him before he let them be again.

But, at the table... Kaylee couldn't help but faintly smirk a little from what River was telling the crew.

River was smirking a little.

River was figuring, "Jayne shoot the light on top. Drop me down when the shuttle gets shot."

Out on the table in front of her... She had a relatively recent drawing she drew on some parchment paper.

Autumn leaves blew in the wind around the roof of the Londinium Museum in River's drawing: All done in colored pencils with perfect accuracy.

In River's mind...

Autumn leaves in the wind. She was playing in the swirling pile.

Wounded roars, growls, moans, and howls.

It was quickly becoming night. The red sun in the sky was giving way to a fading crescent moon.

Out of the mental images...

Simon and Mal were looking real hesitant at River's words.

Wash was finding it hard to keep a straight face. He let out a laugh.

Jayne was tensing up.

He remarked, "hey! Why you makin' there plans I like?"

Most everyone was glaring Jayne's way.

Sounding tense... Zoe warned, "Jayne..."

Jayne voiced lowly, "what?! I figure she or her brother wants somethin' I other wise ain't doing if it her makin' the plan."

River, Wash, and Zoe smiled in amusement.

Mal was moderately sighing to himself. He didn't look amused a bit.

In a disinterested tone... Simon commented, "tempting. But, I wasn't."

River was musing, "pigs don't always fly. They can't biologically. But..."

Jayne suddenly went wide eyed in terror.

He was concluding, "aw hell. You want me shot?"

River was thinking out loud, "found medical ship in junk. Ariel. Make another in the medical ship framing we have been keeping for rescuing. Serenity. Don't matter now for flagging the framing. Gathered enough gold coins for a rainy day."

Jayne repeated, "you want me shot?"

With a cheeky smirk... River was remarking, "shots are good for you. It build character. Nothing else really gets you to."

Everyone was laughing and chuckling hard some. Only Jayne was the one not laughing.

With a tense glare... Jayne challenged, "you want to go for a few rounds? I could show you I know how to shoot good."

Jayne was starting to pull out his holdout pistol from his pockets...only to find it isn't there.

River was taunting, "Jayne. Oh, you poor girl. It'd be very easy."

She had just pulled out his holdout pistol from under her clothes.

She was dumping the ammunition on to the table, shaking it out like a open toy.

Jayne was getting red in the face. He was huffing something fierce.

Kaylee was sitting straight up. She was trying hard not to laugh.

Wash and Zoe couldn't help but chuckle and laugh loudly.

Simon tried to take the pistol away from River. And, he did not look happy a bit.

But... River pulled her arm out of his reach kind of easily.

Simon whispered harshly, "I know it's hard for you to not give him a hard time. But, this is going too far!"

River stuck her tongue at him.

With a cold glare... Mal shouted, "damnit, River! What have I told you 'bout touchin' guns?"

There was a nervous silence.

River's face got red.

She was finally putting the pistol down on the table by the fallen bullets.

River was admitting, "to not to."

She deeply sighed.

She was saying, "sorry. I'll go now."

She started to leave for her and Simon's bunk. Simon wasn't far behind.

But, interestingly... Mal stood in front of them.

He very faintly smiled.

And, with some mixed feelings... He was figuring, "thank you for understanding 'fore I were 'bout to say it. But, if we're goin' to get this heist done, we need to finish up here."

Jayne hurriedly gathered up the bullets to shove them back into the open cylinder in his pistol.

He looked Mal's way as he closed back up his pistol.

With a creepy smirk... Jayne was figuring, "yah. Sure, Mal. I go for a few rounds with her, and..."

With a warning glare... Mal shot back, "Jayne! You ain't shooting up each other's bunks or any part of my boat!"

Jayne gulped nervously. His smirk faded fast.

Then... Mal turned back to River.

He was checking, "you understand what I'm saying, River?"

Almost at the same time... And, reluctantly... Jayne and River were murmuring, "fine."

Jayne, River, and Simon awkwardly were sitting back down at the table.

Zoe, Simon, and Kaylee moderately sighed in mixed relief.

Almost like nothing happened... Mal brought the conversation back around, "now...let's go back to you saying this is a plan. Simon has every right to be worried. This ain't close to my kind of stupid: You'd be a corpse 'fore a Alliance All Terrain Skiff so much as aim for you."

But... River just kept faintly smiling.

Undeterred... She was going, "no. Like a feather. Screws out. I'll be okay. Faint chuckle. Like kindergarten."

A night earlier...

Jayne's ship was going down fast in building flames. A smoke trail of its own was following it.

Soon... There was a explosion in mid-air.

Jayne was continuing to come down with a brownish gray tan parachute. But, in slower descent.

And, while he was coming down... River was fall tumbling fast for the wall just below the roof.

She was wearing magnetized EV suit boots. But, no EV suit.

In seconds...she tumbled onto her feet on the wall.

She faintly smiled to herself.

She was hunched over a vent.

She swiftly pulled out a kitchen knife.

She used it to catch on and unscrew the screws around the vent with ease.

And, with the security cameras on the roof smoked out... No camera caught sight of her or the falling off vent grade.

River climbed into the somewhat cramped vent.

She crawled past section after section of metal vent wall plating.

She sliced through cracks in between as she went past...cutting straight through wires after wires in the security system.

Electrical sparks soon ran through...shorting out most of the security cameras.

Most of the Cortex screens around the security post were shorting out. They had gone to black.

Presently...

Coldly... Operative Lestali brings up, "where is Jayne, and who is he working for now?"

Kaylee gulps real nervously.

Suddenly... A familiar voice cuts in, "why are you askin' Kaylee? I'm right here, gorramit!"

Jayne is standing a little further back in the hall.

He faintly glares.

He's wearing his hat. But, he's ready to fire: With his Mossberg 500 Cruiser shotgun in one hand and his LeMat Revolver in the other.

Sarcastic and cold... Operative Lestali comments, "right. Because the winter hat don't make you look like a six foot tall little boy."

Jayne shoots back, "hey. I ain't little!"

They're both pointing their guns at each other.

With neither of them noticing... Kaylee runs off.

She's running for the nearest elevator she can see.

She keeps calling out, "sweetie?! Sandra!"

In the not too distant present...

Dammett Fisher is the host.

His suit is sharp bright white. His hair is medium very dark brown.

But, there are very little announcements to be made: Only small talk and polite laughter around the table.

Kaylee's plate is full of a little of everything. She is finishing it all kind of quick.

When River eats some of the roasted tubers with beef from her plate... She thinks to herself:

 **Eat, sleep, play...no longer cows inside. They're in the heaven kingdom.**

 **Faint chuckle.**

 **I was happy in that sense. Then...the kingdom of Hands of Blue took it away.**

 **But, I don't want to eat fish. Scales always too pretty to eat.**

 **I'm functioning like a girl. Now I can recollect again the heaven kingdom.**

 **But...why is sleeping in night getting worse?**

 **Faint nervous chuckle.**

 **What sense is there of asking? It's not when I'm awake.**

 **The brain sorts through neurotoxins and neurochemicals, resting on the bed.**

River has gotten everything but the crackers. She has broken off her cookies in half to dip in both dips.

Most of the politicians and historians stare.

But...they just as quickly politely turn away like nothing happened to talk among themselves.

River briefly turns to Kaylee.

Kaylee faintly laughs. River faintly chuckles.

They're not talking much. But, only because they're taken in by the holographic windows of excerpts, the washing up waves, and the flying by planes on the holographic screen as they go by.

And, off by a corner of the lobby... There's a teenage boy standing by himself.

He has noticeable stubble. He has mostly frontless medium black hair, with several strands over his forehead.

He wears a black suit and a red tie. But, they look like they've seen better days in the wash.

River stops eating.

She gives her plate over to Kaylee. It's mostly finished.

Whilst still holding her plate, Kaylee places River's plate under it.

Sounding nervous all a sudden... River says, "I should go wash hands. But, there's a boy I..."

Kaylee smiles wide.

She figures, "well...there ain't no way I got to stop you. But, don't tell Simon right off. He's such a overprotective boy."

River very faintly smiles. She comments, "I know. But...thank you."

Kaylee adds, "you're welcome. But, you got to wash up first. Wouldn't want him to think you ain't with a clue for your first time talkin' to him."

River faintly nods.

River and Kaylee faintly smile to each other.

River then walks down the stairs to find the nearest bathroom to wash up.

Kaylee finishes her plate.

She then places both plates on the lower half of the metal racked marble white stand by the entrance.

Big brownish tan double doors are there.

Two days earlier, in the galley on Serenity...

Suddenly... Simon was recalling, "oh, crap. Faint chuckle! I forgot about the school incident."

Getting curious... Wash asked, "what did she do? Build a working shuttle out of huài mùtou from desks?"

Zoe and Kaylee faintly smirked.

River faintly laughed. She was revealing, "I took apart the playground to see how it was made. School called our parents. We knew then I needed 8 grade. Faint sniffle! Simon more grounded. But...it's not me."

On the first part... Loud laughs and chuckles filled the galley.

But, after that... There was a nervous silence.

River was close to tears.

She murmured, "Never fit with kids for long. Faint sniffle! Got them too scared to play."

Some tears fell from her face.

Solemnly... And, with some lingering mixed feelings... Kaylee broke through the silence, "hey. What kind of schoolin' you have had don't matter none much. You fit on board here. You've been havin' no problems for weeks with gāisǐ de junk up there in your brain. You got me, Captain, and Simon lookin' out for you. Now, ain't that more'n enough?"

River very faintly smiled back.

The teariness in her eyes started to dry up.

Jayne was tense and on alert, holding on to his holdout pistol. But, everyone else was very faintly smiling in relief.

River was saying, "thank you Kaylee."

She put a comforting hand on Kaylee's.

Kaylee was saying, "you're welcome, River."

Presently...

River runs for two elevators.

For the first time after being rescued from The Academy... She's struggling to catch her breath.

Both elevators have a gold spongy looking elevator door with stark gray metallic lining. On both, a red lined button with a red C is on the metallic lining to the right.

She fast presses one of the two red C buttons several times.

Footsteps.

* * *

 _Act II_

River fast walks away from the elevator.

She goes through a brownish tan door to her left.

She closes it behind her.

The elevator door starts to open. Faint electric sparks go off from within the machinery.

Alliance police officers come down the apparently small side hall.

They turn to the elevator...only to find no one there.

The Alliance police captain slams his fist into the side of the elevator.

He's groaning and glaring furiously.

It's all dawning on him, "wǒmen jīntiān yù dào de suǒyǒu tā mā de táofàn: It's River Tam! Find the Operative. Find them both now!"

Back in a certain hall...

Some loud choos go off.

Operative Lestali easily side tumbles out of the way of Jayne's shots.

Dark red liquid drips from Jayne's side.

Jayne groans reactively, clutching his side.

He ends up unintentionally dropping his LeMat Revolver on the floor as he does.

Operative Lestali gets back up.

She coldly faintly smiles.

With a heated glare... Jayne shoots at her with his Mossberg 500 Cruiser shotgun.

Three loud choos.

Operative Lestali easily side steps out of the way of all of them.

Jayne gets a stunned look in his eyes. But, his glare lingers.

Operative Lestali tucks her pistol away in her pocket.

In those seconds... She violently punches at Jayne with her other hand.

Jayne violently swings at her faster with his Mossberg 500 Cruiser shotgun.

Operative Lestali coughs up some dark red liquid.

She doubles back. But, she's still standing.

She's about to draw out her pistol again.

But, then... She suddenly falls to the floor.

She's out cold.

And, standing behind her...is Zoe.

She cuttingly faintly smiles.

She's showing Jayne the hidden tranquilizer needle from her bracelet.

In seconds, she puts it back into her silver bracelet.

Jayne looks real annoyed now.

Zoe just bluntly asks, "you comin', Jayne? We got to meet back up with Kaylee, River, and the captain."

In the middle of talking... There's a loud bang.

Zoe just shot Operative Lestali dead with her custom made rifle.

She's now fast walking for the nearest elevator. She's not even looking back.

Jayne picks back up his LeMat Revolver to put it back on his belt.

He then fast walks to catch up with Zoe.

When Jayne gets to the elevator... Zoe has already pressed the red C button next to it.

Jayne is still clutching his side. But, he still has his Mossberg 500 Cruiser shotgun drawn out.

While they both wait for the elevator... Jayne mutters under his breath, "gorramit Zoe. That take the fun outta shootin' her! I would have shot her first."

Zoe faintly rolls her eyes in amusement. Jayne just huffs some in response.

Meanwhile...

River walks slowly down the ribbed metal rimmed marble white emergency stairs before her.

She's catching her breaths faster now.

She stops by a folded in metal work ladder on a junction of the stairs. A vent grate is right by it.

The ladder was left there by Kaylee so River could get inside undetected to begin with.

Carefully and easily... River folds back out the ladder.

She keeps the back of it steady against the wall with one of her arms against it.

All the while... She closes her eyes...struggling to hold back more tears.

In River's mind...

Autumn leaves in the wind. She is playing in the swirling pile.

Wounded roars, growls, moans, and howls.

It is quickly becoming night. The red sun in the sky is giving way to a fading crescent moon.

Reavers slowly marching toward her in the night. Yet, she faintly smiles.

A silver pistol appears in hand.

But, suddenly... She looks afraid.

Out of the mental images...

Some more tears fall silently on the floor of the junction of the stairs.

But... Without even looking... River pulls off the already left unscrewed vent grate.

She puts it down on a metal rung of the ladder below.

Then... River pulls herself into the vent.

She reaches down to close the vent grate behind her.

But... She starts to sob uncontrollably.

She reactively tries to hold on to the vent grate.

But... It slips from her hand.

It crashes loudly off the ladder and down onto the stairs. Some loud bangs are heard from it.

Somberly... She murmurs, "Jaime! Sob! Sob! Jaime. I'm sorry for...!"

In the not too distant present...

River comes back up. She's just washed her hands.

She looks around to check if anyone is looking at her. No one is.

She fast walks some over to the teenage boy.

He looks off to the side in a kind of nervous manner.

With a faint smile... River supposes, "it's okay Jaime. I wear a dress. But, I want to be free: Not just caught in water that goes nowhere. Don't you want to be?"

Mental images of Jaime in swimming shorts alternate and ripple through River's mind.

One is of Jaime barely swimming in a vertical public pool. A lot of boys and girls laughing and playing with stark white, black, and gray water balloon like balls. Miniature orange and yellow air tanks and mostly black and dark blue wetsuits.

The other is of a vertical pool with him by himself. Vertical circle dives in his mostly dark blue wetsuit.

Jaime faintly laughs.

He bitterly comments, "okay. Answer me this: Did my ruttin' nosy mother put you up to this to shut me up?"

Yet... River looks mostly unphased.

She says, "I'm looking to be a psychologist. But, I know something you and your mother don't."

Jaime faintly raises a eyebrow.

He asks, "what?"

River bluntly admits, "the security system is off. It just looks like it isn't. I'll show you. Would your mother let me if she knew?"

Jaime laughs.

All a sudden... And, less bitter... He says, "no. You're right: She wouldn't. And, you are...?"

River says, "Sandra. But, it's not mine. It just seems like my name here."

Jaime faintly smirks.

He reflects, "I don't care what name you want to have: You are the most direct and thoughtful girl I know. It's a very welcome change of scene."

River beams. She blushes.

Kaylee comes back up. She's just washed her hands.

In a fancy red lined pale green Victorian dress... A woman comes up to her at the foot of the stairs.

She has curly slightly long black hair. It's mostly tied in a bun behind her head.

She introduces herself, "hello. I'm Elisha Gosling."

Cheerful... Kaylee introduces herself, "well, hello. I'm Heather Anders."

They shake hands.

With no one else to turn to right now, Mr. Universe helped arrange Kaylee's and River's covers. He told Mal and Zoe it was the least he could do to make things up to them: After what happened with the Lassiter.

Elisha says, "well, I can't find all the words to describe what a pleasure it is to meet the famous mechanic Heather Anders. All of Londinium must have heard you fixed the museum's entire security system overnight. Aren't you the least bit tired?"

With some mixed feelings... Kaylee tells her, "well, thank you very much. But, I...ain't tired."

The mental image of her programming a several seconds delay at the security post ripples through her mind.

In concern... Elisha inquires, "what's wrong, darling?"

Kaylee moderately sighs.

She slightly turns towards Jaime.

Trying to change the subject... Kaylee says, "well... Everyone is getting along so well, and he's been off over there by himself."

In the middle of talking... She turns back to face Elisha.

Elisha looks over to Jaime and River for a bit.

She moderately sighs. She points out, "I know he has. He's my son Jaime."

After a bit... She continues, "I have to confess: I was hoping to be introducing you to him. You seem to be the kind of girl who could get him moving forward: Finally do something productive with his life instead of being so bitter and getting bad grades in school."

Somberly... Kaylee realizes, "oh."

She's a little teary eyed.

Elisha considers, "but...maybe that girl over there can get him moving forward. Do you know her?"

Kaylee breathes a small sigh of relief.

The teariness in her eyes starts to slowly but surely dry up.

Kaylee tells her, "oh, Sandra? Yeah. We sure know each other. To be honest, we just graduated. I get to look after her without our parents for the first time 'cause I recently turned eighteen. But, we've been really happy to come out here together for our Alliance School summer trip."

Seeming unphased... Elisha questions, "I see. So...she's a good girl?"

With a smile... Kaylee figures, "well, I ought to think so. She's goin' to be a psychologist after Alliance Graduate School. She been flyin' pretty so far with flying colors."

Elisha smiles wide.

She concludes, "why, thank you Heather. That's really assuring."

And... Kaylee says, "you're welcome."

Two nights earlier, in Simon and River's bunk on Serenity...

There was no sign of Simon.

River was sitting on her bed. Mal was sitting beside her.

He was suggesting, "you still want to go to this awful borin' shindig you and Kaylee have been lookin' forward to?"

Not so casually... River was answering, "yes. But... Moderate sigh. I don't comprehend."

Mal asked, "what don't you understand? It's your own damn plan."

River was thinking out loud, "it is my plan. But...I'm grounded. Don't want to be against your orders. You sure you ain't not quite right yourself, proscriptus man?"

Mal very faintly laughed at the last part. He very faintly smiled.

There was a awkward silence.

Mal's smile gave way to being straight faced.

He was hunched over some.

Almost like he didn't just hear that last part... Mal explained, "well...it's more simple than you reckon. We have gone down this road before. You got your hand on a gun. But, you understood well enough to give it back. It was sort of right smart of you to unloading it to get that message 'cross. Faint laugh. Truth is I were mighty tempted to laugh with Zoe. But, it were still gonna make for a sight of awful unpleasantness. Come to think of it anyways...Jubal Early ain't much pleasant long 'fore he went off shootin' people. But, your plan got him off my ship. With my mighty help. But...yeah. Your plan got him off."

River was faintly chuckling on the last part.

Mostly casually... She was concluding, "I comprehend now. Thank you."

Somewhat uncomfortable... Mal was figuring, "it ain't a problem. Least I hopin' there ain't to be a one. You've wanted to prove to me and my crew you can function normal like. You can see this shindig as your big chance."

River was faintly beaming.

She was saying, "I hope to do good for you. Maybe as a part of your crew."

Mal was figuring, "yeah: Reckoned you might think so. If something goes wrong and I can't take the globe for the Earth-That-Was soon enough, it's up to you to get it out the door. That's the deal."

Quick to answer back... River agreed, "all right, proscriptus man."

Then...Mal was sitting straight up.

And, with a faint smile... He was concluding, "then I'm glad we got ourselves a understanding."

In the not too distant present, over in the corner of the lobby of the Londinium Museum...

Jaime considers, "okay. So, you're a mechanical genius. But, I don't think you can get past the police: At least not by your ruttin' self."

River rolls her eyes annoyedly.

She figures, "you think I can't? No power in the Verse can stop me."

Jaime lies back against the wall with his hands behind his head.

He faintly laughs. He figures, "well, you know where I'll still be. But, if you actually get in to the security post by your self and back and don't get arrested...you can show me any gallery you want."

River faintly beams. She figures, "all right. But, I will come and find you."

River fast walks up to the floor above.

Some museum visitors pass her by. But, they don't see her.

She breathes out a sigh of relief.

She pulls herself out from between the marble white pillars of the railing at the top of the stairs.

Meanwhile, Kaylee and Elisha mostly keep smiling to each other. Kaylee is listening to Elisha go on and on with stories of her son and her husband.

River throws down two small vent grate screws...right behind and to the side of the security post.

There's some loud clinks.

Almost all the guests in the lobby look around nervously.

But, they mostly sigh in relief. For, there's no sign of anyone else near the security post.

Soon, all the guests go back to small talk and whatnot.

The third Alliance police officer asks, "what the hell was that?"

The Alliance police captain reasons, "let's check it out."

The three Alliance officers come out of the security post, armed and ready with sonic rifles.

They check around.

The Alliance police captain moderately groans in frustration.

They don't see anyone.

At a near whisper... The Alliance police captain states, "maybe it is just a little prank. But, let us be sure. Get a private wave out to all federal officers in the building: Keep sonic rifles out. But, don't open fire unless you see Jayne Cobb or unless I order it."

While they're talking... River has already fast walked past them.

She's gone into the security post.

She smirks.

She waves to Jaime from the security post as she does.

River fast walks back out to the lobby...just as the Alliance officers go back into the security post.

Jaime laughs.

With a smirk... He remarks, "well, you've been sunning around...this museum...before..."

He is looking around in confusion.

River figures, "not around. Don't need gifts."

She's standing behind him.

No longer looking confused... Jaime asks, "then what do you want?"

Beamingly... River answers, "I pick out interesting. You are interesting. Faint laugh. You won't get bored with me. I see a galley coming. Please come."

She puts a comforting hand on his.

Jaime starts to say, "okay mechanical genius. How do we...?"

River beams.

She quickly says, "go with me in eight seconds. I can time everything."

Sounding stunned... Jaime starts to ask, "o...kay. How the ruttin' way are y...?"

River kind of annoyedly rolls her eyes.

She lightly remarks, "just have me lead you there, rebel boy."

Jaime just faintly laughs.

Like a little kid dragging a little kid along to get to a secret treehouse up in a tree... River kind of pulls him along: Up the stairs, up the emergency stairs, down three halls, past several windows and Alliance officers, and to the other side of a gallery entrance. All without getting in anyone else's line of vision.

There's a dark blue gallery banner over the entrance. It says "PSA Mattes" across it in black letters.

There are matte paintings in somewhat big glass cases on two levels of warehouse styled shelves. They include a dim dark shaded one with two old fashioned gray projector cameras around a black cloaked figure struggling to break free in a electric chair, one of a grainy looking dark red toolbox with two silver latch locks and one silver latch with a round gold locker styled padlock, and a light blue shaded one with white, pink, red, and blue color coded plastic pill snake monsters with teeth slithering after screaming toddlers running for cover.

Jaime stops to catch his breath from all the fast walking.

He leans back against the wall.

River isn't breathing hard by even a little.

River checks in concern, "are you okay?"

Jaime mostly assures, "yeah. Just... Wow. Nervous laugh. I..."

From reading what he's thinking... River is blushing.

With nervousness... She can't help but wonder, "is that good?"

With a faint smile... Jaime says, "good? You're...you're crazy ruttin' good."

River says, "thank you. You got a good brain yourself. Psychologically warm and phlegmatic place like mine for your voice. You'd be okay."

She puts comforting hands on his as she says it.

Sounding nervous himself... Jaime adds, "you're welcome. You really..."

Attentively... River asks, "yes?"

Jaime says, "wow. Umm..."

Confidently... River mostly assures, "you don't have to say, rebel boy. Don't be afraid. I want to take you there."

Jaime faintly smirks. River beams.

And, without another word... They kiss: Rough and firm.

They pull each other close as they do.

With one free hand purposely behind her... River throws a screw hard into a upper level glass case.

It shatters.

The alarms loudly go off.

Alliance police come running with sonic rifles ready.

Metal bar gates start coming down across the whole floor.

But, in the chaos... No one seems to notice River and Jaime making out.

They feel each other up roughly.

In real fast strokes... River keeps alternating her hands to soothe their light bruising and straighten back out ruffling in their clothes.

When they pull away... The metal bar gates have gone back up.

Sounding out of breath... Jaime says, "thanks."

Sounding out of breath herself... River says, "you're...welcome."

A shocked look comes over her face.

She asks, "you know who I am?"

Jaime admits, "I just realized it. Many folks have heard about you on the Cortex. But, there wasn't much to hear but of a story. Faint nervous laugh. I thought it was a awful gāodà de gùshì like many more like it. But...I never thought I could be free with someone that comes in one of these ruttin' boring shindigs my mother drags me to. I never dreamt I'd get close to the River Tam."

The sound of alarms is still going off in their heads. But, neither of them seems to really care.

River blushes.

She admits, "umm... Didn't know we were both feeling a awake dream until you thought of it, Jaime. You're really not going to turn me in?"

Jaime laughs in disbelief. River laughs.

Jaime figures, "why would I want to do that? Just..."

Sincerely... River asks, "just what, Jaime?"

Jaime gulps nervously.

He brings up, "I really hope you're not a kidnapper playing River Tam. About everyone on the planet is rich with credit."

With a wide smirk... River considers, "right now, there's no kidnapper theory. You're more pessimistic. I'm trying to function like a girl. Could you really come with me to Serenity?"

Jaime faintly laughs. He figures, "come on. I'll be free. You'll be free. I'll only tell if you get me in trouble with The Alliance. Why would you even let that...?"

At the same time... Some mental images creep in.

In River's mind...

A doctor in a hazmat suit like white surgeon mask and a white surgeon apron. A matte painting like silvery operating chair against the dark.

Patronizingly... The surgeon presses, "come on River. You'll be free for the day. Just get back into the chair, and we'll poke your brain nicely."

River coldly mutters back, "no."

Suddenly... Big gloved hands of blue are pushing River toward the operating chair: Closer and closer.

Close to tears... River shouts, "no! No! ! !"

River violently spin twirl kicks the gloves away.

Gloved hands reeling away in the dark. Violent groans. Violent coughs.

In a angry cry... She spin twirls the surgeon's hand behind him.

A syringe needle drops away in the dark. A violent groan.

River kicks out the doctor with a single kick to the chest.

But, then... The mental images finally fade away.

And, lying on the floor unconscious...is a barely breathing heavily bruised Jaime.

Several Alliance officers are coughing violently some on their sides. Their sonic rifles have fallen to the floor.

River looks completely horrified.

She murmurs, "no. No! ! !"

She starts to cry.

Then... More Alliance police officers come.

One of them breathes a heavy sigh of relief.

He's knelt down, checking Jaime's heart beat to see if he's still breathing.

Another Alliance police officer calls out, "stop! Stop right...! !"

And, not pausing to look back... River runs out of the gallery.

And, as she runs... River is thinking to herself:

 **Can't let them see! Hard sniffle! Can't let them see my burning eyes. It burns!**

Presently...

River gasps nervously.

Doors swing open up and down the stairs. Many footsteps over the alarms.

Fifteen Alliance police officers have the stairs covered...all with sonic riffles aimed for River.

The Alliance police captain calls out, "River Tam...get out of the vent and stand down: Now! !"

* * *

 _Act III_

In River's mind...

Autumn leaves in the wind. She is playing in the swirling pile.

Wounded roars, growls, moans, and howls.

It is quickly becoming night. The red sun in the sky is giving way to a fading crescent moon.

Reavers slowly marching toward her in the night.

Yet...she faintly smiles.

A silver pistol appears in hand.

But, suddenly... She looks afraid.

From a closer look... The Reavers were all in her image.

Not very convincingly... She said, "no power in the Verse...can stop me."

She closes her eyes.

Flashes of Alliance police officers coming.

Determinedly... She says, "no. No! I can."

She's about ready to shoot them.

But... She instead lowers it.

River hard throws the pistol into the edge of the fading crescent moon.

The crescent moon is hit.

It spins backwards...faster and faster.

And, from behind it... The light of the red sun comes out again.

Out of the mental images...

River kind of slowly pulls herself out of the vent.

More sobs. Some more tears fall.

She comes down the ladder with her left hand.

She's got one screw left to throw away in her other hand. It's clenched in the shadow cast by the ladder.

Suddenly... Glass shatters from the apparent window above the junction of stairs.

Determinedly... River says, "no. No! I can."

She lets the last screw in her hand fall harmlessly on the floor.

Many glass pieces fly into the Alliance officers on the junction of stairs.

They reactively shield themselves by covering their heads with their arms.

And, in the broken in window...is Kaylee with a tether harness on.

She used a elevator to reach the top. Then, she came back down on a tether to kick through the window and reach River at the most likely place she would return to.

Kaylee is a little teary eyed still.

Kaylee calls down to her, "come on, sweetie! Come to me."

Her arms are open.

Teariness lingers in River's eyes. Yet...she very faintly smiles in mixed relief.

She zig zags in a run up the stairs.

With very low choos... Several still standing Alliance officers shoot at her.

They hit themselves instead as she runs past them.

They're knocking themselves down in their own sonic waves...making them short lived.

River starts getting a headache from the frequency of the sonic waves.

But...it just as quickly fades away.

With her eyes closed... River run jumps into Kaylee's arms.

A lot of momentum swings back the thick rope like tether line.

It grinds under the strain. But, it doesn't break off either.

Sounding a little better already... Kaylee tells her, "good. Now hold on tight."

River holds on tight to her.

River sniffles hard. She hides her face in Kaylee's dress.

Kaylee finds her body mass to be heavier than she expected. But, the momentum is keeping them weightless.

The tether is starting to swing back for the open window.

Several Alliance officers are ready to fire with sonic rifles. A AATS is flying up along the side of the Londinium Museum.

Kaylee loudly calls up, "Simon...pull us up!"

She cups her hand over her mouth to help her voice reach high up: High up into the sky.

Serenity is just above the roof of the Londinium Museum. The cargo hold double doors are open.

And, in the cargo hold... The heavy duty metal pulley holding the rest of the tether line is there.

Simon winds back hard on the metal crank for it...pulling the tether line up.

He's getting sweaty. His arms are aching like mad.

But, after a long minute... Kaylee and River are pulled back to the edge.

Kaylee manages to tumble herself and River onto the edge...just as Serenity lands back on the roof.

Kaylee groans hard from the physical strain.

Simon rushes over to them.

He reaches his hand out to them to help Kaylee and River back to their feet.

Mal, Zoe, and Jayne are running into the cargo hold.

Mal is carrying a globe of the Earth-That-Was by its stand with one hand.

Its metallic stand and axis is copperish brown.

Its oceans are faint blue, half covered in ocean fissures. Its continents are green, yet partially covered in dark brown swirls.

The globe of the Earth-That-Was would complete a rich man's collection of globes of the Verse. He would show them off.

Mal's crew would only see a few ten thousand for the trouble of taking it. A good quarter of it would already go to paying to make up for recent shortages of food, water, and gas. But...it would at least be good for another month.

Many Alliance officers are coming after him, Zoe, and Jayne: With sonic rifles drawn out and ready.

But... Mal smiles.

He even waves back to them with his free hand.

Just then... The cargo hold double doors close.

Sonic waves harmlessly hit the side of the double doors.

Wash is piloting Serenity out just as fast.

Serenity keeps on flying...out of the night sky and back into the black of space.

Roughly a half hour later, in the galley...

Everyone is sitting at the table.

And, at one end of the table... River is breaking down crying before them.

There's a nervous chilling silence.

Everyone is teary eyed. Even Jayne is.

Through the nervous chilling silence... Mal suddenly heavily sighs.

He can't help but ask, "I know you need to be let be. But...you sure we ain't being followed by The Alliance?"

River sniffles hard. Some more tears fall from her face.

After a bit... River insists, "no. Not followed. Hard sniffle. Felt I should at least tell you before..."

Mal is quick to say, "okay. I real appreciate tellin' me. Go to bed."

River very faintly nods. Some more tears fall.

She's leaving for her and Simon's bunk.

Kaylee holds her close. Simon holds her hand.

They follow River the whole way back.

A heated glare forms on Jayne's face.

And, interestingly... He mutters under his breath, "gorram kid! That ain't no way for feds to snatch a girl."

There's a lingering nervous chilling silence in the galley.

Late that night, in Simon and River's bunk...

River is lying awake in bed. Simon is sitting near her on the edge of the bed.

River sniffles hard. She's close to tears.

With a real cold glare... Simon brings up, "River...you've been safe here with me and Kaylee. I'm your brother. Why would you lie?!"

He's close to tears himself.

There's a nervous silence.

River sniffles hard.

And, then... She very nervously murmurs, "Simon... I...I'm so sorry."

In very mixed feelings... Simon looks over to her.

He's about to reach out his hand to her.

But...he can't bring himself to.

Some tears fall from his face.

River breaks down crying.

Between the tears... She admits, "want...to function like a girl. Who I am. Don't...don't want to say goodbye! Torches... Much pain outside the window. It's...waiting for me. I so much want...want...to function like a girl. Don't want to say goodbye! Don't know if...if nightmares go. Burning eyes! Burns not knowing! It burns."

Simon starts to storm out of their bunk.

He stops by the open sliding door.

He turns back to her.

He says, "you are still my sister. But... Hard sniffle. I can't really trust you now."

Then... He storms out.

Tears keep falling from River's face.

For, from reading his mind... River knows all too well what he fully means:

I understand why you lied. But, if you keep putting up this front...I'll give you over to Inara.

You'd go without me.

If I don't know what to do with you...she will.

I have to tell them. You need psychiatric help, River.

I can't let you hurt a innocent kid again. I can't let you keep psychologically hurting yourself.


	16. S2, Ep 6: In Wetware and War

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

In Wetware and War:

 _Teaser_

It's the middle of the night.

Zoe and Mal are at a rundown tavern styled bar.

Zoe wears a low cut faint brown tan dress with a lot of little smoke trail swirls. Hints of a dark red bra are seen.

She wears her open brown coat over her dress.

Chinese lanterns hang from the ceiling.

The planet is Meadow. But, it looks like a spitting image of Verbena's moons: Aside from the purple dust.

Before the Unification War, the folk on Meadow were extremely low on typical crop seeds.

They tried and tried to get Alliance approval for more. But, it never came at the time.

So, the folk on Meadow churned a sun baked batch of protein pack mix, water, and dust left from dust storms.

They spread it over the land with mounds. Some caved in into craters from erosion and dust storms.

The protein pack mix turned the grass mostly purple and slightly longish.

But, it was across the whole planet. And, it was enough to live on.

It's not all they live on, because that would be crazy.

Their biggest export is protein drinks and candies of various kinds for the Core Planets, which makes up the difference well enough through imported crop seeds.

Still... Most folk on Meadow are known for a addiction to candy and protein drinks.

Their drinks go from blue to red to sparkling orange to bubbly purple. But, vibrant to shamanistic East Asian music plays kind of loudly against rundown walls across Meadow.

There's Chinese, Japanese, and Korean to stark gray bricked bars and houses. Town blocks completely decorated in vertical light blue and dark brown to white and light red East Asian billboards as far as the eye can see.

Zoe and Mal are sitting on some silvery pole bar stools with light brown worn down cushioning.

But, they're turned to the side, facing each other.

Zoe solemnly moderately sighs. She reflects, "I miss takin' on more passengers. Made things interesting."

Mal faintly laughs in disbelief.

He comments, "yeah? Well, we've had more interesting to last until we're dead."

Zoe faintly laughs. She urges, "come on, sir. It's big damn good adventures. We just still got a bounty..."

In a begrudging manner... Mal finishes the thought, "...on our heads. Yeah. I know."

He drinks a cup of alcohol from his crystalline glass.

He puts it down.

He asks for another.

A bartender fills it in a polite manner.

He wears a black tuxedo and a long sleeved white formal shirt.

Zoe starts to say, "still..."

Mal asks, "what?"

Zoe smirks. She figures, "you can't tell me you ain't missin' takin' on something."

Mal starts to figure, "well..."

He drinks some from his glass.

Sounding amused... Mal reflects, "can't believe I'm sayin' this. But, I miss deliverin' the cattle. Faint chuckle. Were a mighty simpler time then."

Zoe faintly laughs.

She drinks some.

She puts down her glass. But, she doesn't ask for another.

Solemn all a sudden... Zoe brings up, "sure you ain't just talkin' about them, sir?"

Mal heavily sighs.

He looks away some.

He turns back to face Zoe.

He admits, "you're right: I ain't. I miss the farm life on Shadow...when I still for sure got a life, a momma, and a good forty hands more to come home to."

Zoe gives him a almost emotionless hard look.

She mutters, "and you still ain't tellin' me what happened that day, sir?"

Mal gets a real nervous look in his eyes.

But... He says, "umm...what day? You've been my corporal for years. You've been part of my crew on Serenity."

Zoe is giving him a hard look. But, it's not the least bit emotionless now.

Zoe presses, "you know well the day I mean. You shot and killed Luzige. Can't help but figure it's more than that."

She moderately sighs.

After a bit... She points out, "I ain't sure I'll take not knowing none longer. And, I ain't sure you can sir."

There's a nervous brief silence.

Zoe concludes, "fine. Don't tell me. But, with the past... Faint sniffle. It finds a way to catch up to you. I'm hopin' that won't be The Alliance or the Heart of Gold, sir."

She's getting teary eyed. So is Mal.

Uncomfortably... Mal says, "yeah. Well... When that day come and I feel too truthsome not to...you'll know."

Zoe says, "that'll do sir. But..."

Kind of irritatedly... Mal asks, "what is it now, soldier?"

Zoe concludes, "I take that it's for the same reason Inara left the ship. You got terrible quiet 'bout her after she left."

Mal murmurs under his breath, "nà tòngkǔ míngxiǎn ma?"

Zoe just very faintly smirks. For, Mal already knows the answer soon as he asked.

Mal heavily sighs.

He's looking down.

After a bit... He looks up.

He admits, "I wish it were that damn simple Zoe. Hard sniffle! I wish we would just stay together and see this mighty hurt through. But, that ain't happenin' soon. Not sure if ever. Hard sniffle. That's truthsome as I am gonna be tonight."

Zoe gives him a solemn faint smile.

She drinks some more.

Then... There's footsteps.

Zoe puts down her glass.

Two Allied Border Enforcement officers walk over.

They're wearing slick black open jackets, matching gloves, stark gray Alliance uniforms under their jackets, black belt sashes and matching belts, and stark gray pants.

They pull out black glock pistols.

One of the officers states, "Malcolm Reynolds, Zoe Alleyne Washburn...you're under arrest."

Zoe turns to face them.

The second one orders, "everyone leaves the bar now! Alliance orders."

He circles around a little with his glock as he does.

Everyone else clears out. Even the bartender does.

Zoe knows this isn't typical of Allied Border Enforcement. Something feels very wrong to her.

The second one faintly laughs. He says, "good."

Mal finally turns to face the officers.

They both have frontless medium black hair. But, the first one has a thin pointed scar down his right cheek.

With a casual smile... Mal challenges, "is that true now? Don't see a warrant or nothing."

Zoe sharply points out, "they ain't feds, sir."

Mal faintly laughs.

Mal remarks, "how about it, Zoe? Until we're dead might not last long."

He briefly turns to Zoe as he does.

With a very faint smile... Zoe adds, "no. It might not, sir."

The first officer questions the second, "Kevin. Is everyone out?"

Kevin answers, "yes, Deros."

With a coldly smile... Deros figures, "good. Then we can cut the crap."

Zoe remarks, "about time the big damn villains are first."

Mal is drawing out his shotgun. Zoe is drawing out her custom made rifle.

Deros comments, "I like the sound of that."

Then... He and Kevin fire from their glocks.

Some loud choos go off.

Mal and Zoe run for cover.

They duck behind a table.

Mal kicks it down, shielding themselves from the incoming shots.

Glasses fall off. They shatter on the ground.

Before and after... Bullet holes riddle the table.

Mal and Zoe start shooting back.

All around... More loud choos go off.

Deros moves fast to the side. Some bullets just miss him.

Kevin violently groans some.

He's clutching his dark red liquid dripping side. But, he keeps firing with his free hand.

He and Deros duck behind another table.

Mal starts to ask, "who the hell are...they?"

Suddenly... Zoe is shot down from behind.

A loud choo.

Dark red liquid starts seeping from her back.

She's violently coughing and coughing.

She's losing consciousness. Her vision is blurring fast.

She's about to move her wrist with her bracelet to launch the tranquilizer needle from it.

But... Stanton kicks her arm down from behind.

Mal is glaring furiously back at him.

He calls out, "Stanton?!"

Stanton looks a little teary eyed. But, he has a cold look in his eyes.

He says, "I'm sorry. But, my new boss really wants a job done on your guts."

All of a sudden... Mal looks real stunned.

He gets teary eyed.

Then... Deros kicks the bullet ridden table into him.

It violently splinters into a lot of little sharp pieces.

A small cloud of dust comes and goes.

Mal goes down...groaning violently.

His shotgun falls to the floor with a loud thud.

He's reactively clutching some of the many little stinging cuts in his side.

He groans violently. He stifles some screams.

Deros faintly smiles.

And... He coldly shoots him in the other side for good measure.

A scream escapes from Mal's mouth.

Dark red liquid starts to seep near his back.

Mal is groaning and coughing violently. His vision is blurring fast.

And...he falls unconscious.

* * *

 _Act I_

Late the next morning, on Serenity...

Jayne is muttering over and over, "gorramit. Gorramit!"

He takes his frustration out on the wall. But, all it does is make his fist sore.

He's in the middle of the hall.

He is wearing his dark gray shirt with a certain furry soldier on it.

The door to Mal's bunk has been left open right behind him.

Wash is standing in the hall, facing Jayne's direction.

Wash is wearing his dark gray tan vest over a dark red shirt. The shortish sleeves are slightly bunched up.

Wash starts to ask, "you still haven't...?"

Jayne huffs.

He whirls around, facing him.

He looks pissed.

He mutters under his breath, "you really want to ask again, Wash?"

Wash tensely goes, "fine, fine. Oh yeah. It isn't fine! Where the hell are Mal and my wife?!"

They're both breathing hard.

After a bit... Jayne realizes, "just shoutin' ain't gonna get them back. Guns are gonna get them back. Or..."

He's thinking out loud, "...maybe he and Zoe got sexed separate."

He gets teary eyed. He faintly sniffles.

He murmurs, "why the hell couldn't he had invited me? I ain't too taken or nothing."

Wash puts his arms up.

Wash goes, "oh my god! I'm in a right smart nightmare, because we're not having this talk! Deep sigh! God!"

He puts his arms down on the last part.

He mutters under his breath, "I'm going to the doc and getting some nice doping now. Don't wait up."

He's already fast walking right through the galley: Heading in the direction of the Infirmary.

Jayne faintly grins.

Cluelessly... He figures, "yeah. I'll have a drink myself."

He walks into the galley.

He opens the refrigerator.

He takes a bottle of really cold alcohol out.

It's from a stash of a few bottles of alcohol Book left. Book left it for him and Mal as a parting gift.

Jayne closes the refrigerator door.

Jayne asks, "you want some, little...man?"

He's holding out the bottle as he does.

Wash didn't even hear him. He's already left the galley.

With a faint smirk... Jayne just figures, "aw well. Drinks."

He pours some alcohol into a glass.

Jayne puts down the bottle on the table. It's down to half a bottle now.

He pushes the cork back in.

He doesn't seem to notice all that's left of his stash is that one bottle.

He just drinks from his glass, trying not to think of much else.

Meanwhile, at a random bar on Meadow...

A guy with spiky dyed neon red hair and a bright white business suit is at the bar.

There's a guy with medium black hair and a brown cowboy hat and a guy with short black hair and a gray cowboy hat, wearing overcoats that match their hats. They're at a table together, making out.

Kaylee is wearing a small darkish brown T-shirt with gray lined short sleeves and rustic worn out blue overalls over it all. The word Serenity is traced over her overalls in darkish brown: With a heart shaped dot for the I.

River is wearing a sparkly light purple dress with sleeves with dark red ribbons going along it. Blue and red weaved vertical fish are woven in across it.

They're slowly walking hand in hand.

Kaylee looks nervous.

After River's breakdown, Simon told Kaylee and Mal the truth early in the following morning.

But, Mal wanted to protect the rest of his crew for long as he can.

And, much to Simon's chagrin and mixed feelings, Kaylee tearfully pleaded and pleaded to give River another chance to help find a cure for her mental episodes.

Mal and Simon soon gave in.

And, in a bittersweet joyous whim of mind reading on a subconscious level... River drew in red and black colored pencils how to contact a member of the underground by private channel on the Cortex.

But... That's not all Kaylee is thinking back to.

She's thinking back to something Simon recently said:

I know. I hope it's not needed.

Hard sniffle.

But...I don't know how else to stop her in a delicate way from hurting someone again.

Kaylee gets teary eyed.

She remembers a syringe: With dilaftin and a Alliance issue barbiturate for extreme cases of surgery called thiopanuryis.

The same one Simon used to bring River and him to a temporary comatose state so they could sneak into a certain medical facility on Ariel...and it's now in Kaylee's pocket.

River is teary eyed herself. But, she very faintly smiles.

She already knows what Kaylee is thinking.

But, from the echoes of aftereffects of getting drunk she can read around her... River is mostly calm.

Mal insisted they meet the agent at a bar for that alone. And, the agent agreed.

River sees blackened hollow trees in her head.

But, their silver leaves and silvery cheerfully chirping birds stay strong against the eternal flames.

River reaches out with a outstretched hand.

She knows the birds are not real. But, she can't help but feel curious about them.

That is...until the mental images quickly fade.

With a mostly chipper voice... A woman says, "umm...excuse me?"

She hiccups a little.

She's sitting at one of the bar stools. But, she doesn't have a glass.

She has bags under her eyes. She has a mostly white gown and very long black hair.

Kaylee wonders, "yes?"

The woman asks, "oh, hello. Hiccup! Can you tell me where I can find Academy Prime?"

Suddenly... Kaylee looks kind of shook.

River just faintly smiles knowingly to herself.

Kaylee goes, "ohh."

After a bit... Kaylee nervously says, "I'm sorry. My mind must have..."

The woman mostly assures, "it's okay. I still have some bags under my eyes."

Her hiccups are suddenly gone. Her voice suddenly sounds somewhat stiffer.

Kaylee says, "thanks."

The woman looks a little impatient.

River rolls her eyes annoyedly some.

Kaylee concludes, "ohh right. I don't know where it is exactly. But, if you go down the spiral staircase at the library across the street, you might find something to help."

The mystery woman firmly smiles. River faintly smiles.

And, at a near whisper... The mystery woman says, "better. I'm Mrs. Spiral."

Kaylee faintly smiles.

River questions, "you know how to fix my brain?"

Agent Mrs. Spiral says, "a little quieter please?"

River blushes.

At a whisper... River apologizes, "sorry. Can't not feel. Sniffle. Spy game hard to play with friends than knew."

Somewhat nervous... Agent Mrs. Spiral concludes, "well...we know. The underground will try to find a answer for you. But...your captain and crew are legendary. This could be even better."

She firmly smiles.

Agent Mrs. Spiral hands Kaylee a black Alliance dedicated source box.

Kaylee takes it.

It has a inverted Alliance scanner ring vertically around it. A green grid covered darkish blue handpad is on top.

Beamingly... Kaylee wonders, "oohh. Wonder what it is."

Agent Mrs. Spiral explains, "a gift for your crew. It's DNA encoded to only turn on for someone who has worked for The Academy. Ironically, that goes for student and teacher. We also went to the trouble to make the instructions easy to follow as soon as it's turned on."

River bittersweetly smiles. Kaylee solemnly smiles.

River adds, "thank you."

Agent Mrs. Spiral lightly instructs, "you're welcome. But, you should go back now."

Kaylee faintly nods.

She sniffles hard some. But, she's trying to still smile.

Kaylee concludes, "well...okay.

Solemnly... River says, "goodbye."

She waves to Agent Mrs. Spiral.

Solemnly... Kaylee says, "bye. Have a good trip back. I mean... Hopefully, you have those."

She waves to Agent Mrs. Spiral on the first part.

She keeps a arm around the Alliance security dedicated Source Box.

With a firm smile still... Agent Mrs. Spiral waves back.

River and Kaylee start to head out the door.

Suddenly... Agent Mrs. Spiral starts to say, "River..."

River turns back to face her.

River attentively asks, "yes?"

Agent Mrs. Spiral is getting teary eyed.

She tells River, "you shouldn't go inside the classroom. Hard sniffle. There's a new class coming. For your own safety...it's better that way."

Agent Mrs. Spiral closes her eyes, holding back tears.

Somberly... River comments, "that makes too much sense. But...thank you."

Agent Mrs. Spiral briefly opens her eyes.

She just says, "you're welcome."

Kaylee says to River, "come on. We should leave."

She reaches out to her hand.

River sniffles hard some. She very faintly nods.

She then takes Kaylee's hand.

River and Kaylee then head out the door...leaving Agent Mrs. Spiral be.

Twenty four minutes later, on Serenity...

Kaylee and River are walking past the Infirmary.

Suddenly... Simon calls out, "Kaylee! Oh god. I'm really glad to see you."

He is wearing a long sleeved faintly dark tinted blue sweatshirt.

Before Kaylee can say anything... Simon hugs Kaylee tight.

Kaylee beams.

The teariness in her eyes is starting to dry up.

She hugs him back tight.

Kaylee starts to says, "well...if that's how you..."

Nervous all of a sudden... River kind of cryptically says, "sorry. Not time now. Faint sniffle. Too pressing."

Simon very faintly laughs.

Kaylee slowly starts pulling away.

Simon was about to pull away. But, he awkwardly lets her slowly pull away from him instead.

Warily... Kaylee asks, "River? What's going on?"

Some shouting can be heard all the way from the cockpit.

Nervously... Simon points out, "Jayne and Wash have been shouting at each other all morning."

Getting teary eyed... Kaylee exclaims, "what?!"

She completely pulls away from Simon.

She's turning around in the common area, looking for anyone else near. Anyone else shouting.

Nothing.

River says, "Mal gone but not gone."

She's looking down.

Simon turns to her.

A little teary eyed... Simon asks in concern, "River? What are you...?"

River sits in one of the big tan yellow comfy chairs.

Cryptically... River goes on, "bad in Latin. Hard sniffle. Tearing in the inside. Loud in the windows. Mal, Zoe... Hard sniffle. Gone but not gone!"

She's starting to cry into her hands.

Kaylee sits on the dark tan yellow couch: Forward out some and facing River.

She puts a sympathetic hand on hers.

After a bit... River looks up.

Kaylee tries to assure, "sweetie... Hard sniffle. It'll all be okay. They'll come back. They always come back."

Kaylee then suddenly turns to Simon.

She asks him, "they'll come back. Right?"

Simon is standing off to the side of River. He has his arms crossed.

Sounding kind of unsure... He answers, "yes. Yes, they usually do. But, then...why tearing, River?"

River looks kind of shakily at him.

With no hidden sharpness in her tone... She mutters, "believe me now?"

Simon points out, "you sure don't seem to be lying right now. It's...it's good."

He's putting down his arms as he says it.

With a loud sniffle... River adds, "but you still kind of mad at me."

Kaylee tries to be assuring, "sweetie...it ain't all mad. Faint sniffle. He just really cares for ya. You know?"

There's a nervous silence.

Uncomfortably... River admits, "I know. But...thank you."

Sounding a little better... Kaylee adds, "you're welcome."

For a second, Simon faintly smiles.

A second after... Simon starts to think out loud, "so...why... Oh my god."

It all starts to finally dawn on him.

Kaylee asks in concern, "Simon?! What's wrong?"

Just then... Jayne is storming down the hall.

Jayne irritatedly mutters, "what's wrong? You mean you ain't got to told her 'bout...?!"

Simon nervously looks his and Kaylee's way.

Kaylee sternly warns, "Jayne..."

Jayne shouts lowly, "what?!"

Kaylee looks mostly unphased.

She replies back, "we know already 'bout the captain and Zoe missin'! Don't fret. We were just 'bout to hear River..."

Sarcastically... Jayne mutters, "oh, this oughta get good."

River shoots him a piercing warning glare.

She comments back, "you really don't want to know what I really think. Be happy I don't."

Jayne plops down upright on the couch next to Kaylee.

Jayne figures, "damn right. Damn."

Kaylee asks, "what is it?"

Sounding kind of better... Jayne voices, "that there made good sense for a ruttin'..."

Kaylee warningly glares at him.

Jayne just gulps nervously.

He stops himself from finishing the thought.

Simons stands closer to Kaylee.

Sounding a little better... Simon says, "thank you Kaylee."

With a bittersweet smile... Kaylee tells him, "sure, Simon."

She puts a comforting hand on his.

For a second, River very faintly smirks.

Reluctantly... Jayne murmurs, "fine. What was we 'bout to hear from her?"

River cryptically goes on, "trigonometry. A man and a woman in a cracking window. Hard sniffle. A war relit. A coffin. Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle. But, relit hope in the sky. Hard sniffle. I think."

Puzzled... Kaylee questions, "trigonometry? What the hell do it got to do with cracking a window?"

Tensely... Jayne comments, "I hope it ain't one of ours. Windows get shot in in space, we all die."

There's a brief solemn silence.

Simon speaks up, "it's not a window. It's the tri part. Hard sniffle. The only part I didn't know about was cracking. But...I know now what war is going on."

Almost at the same time... Jayne and Kaylee ask, "what gorram war? What war, Simon?"

Simon pieces together, "Tracey was in a coffin until River realized he was just appearing to be dead. The Triad is infamous for blastomeres. But, even The Alliance didn't know what their name was until two months ago. At least... Faint sniffle. That's what Inara said."

Everyone nervously gulps.

Somberly... Kaylee murmurs, "oh god! Hard sniffle. I hope we get them back with their organs still in 'em."

Solemnly... Simon says, "I hope we do too."

He puts a comforting hand over Kaylee's hand over his.

They look solemnly at each other.

Kaylee and Simon sniffles hard some. River sniffles hard.

Sitting there in the common area... Jayne can't take it anymore.

He gets to his feet.

He huffs.

He's muttering something hard to hear in Chinese.

He's storming back over to the cockpit.

Wash is standing at the doorframe to the cockpit.

Sounding not sure... He asks, "Jayne? Not that it hasn't been hell this morning. But..."

Jayne is at the foot of the steps to the doorframe.

Tense still... He reveals, "the Triad has gone up and snatched Mal and Zoe."

Wash gulps very nervously.

But... He's quick to ask, "what about where? Do we finally know where...they are?"

But... Jayne has already stormed off for his bunk.

His bunk door slams down behind him.

Sarcastic... Wash mutters, "great. Just great! !"

He slaps down his arms by his sides at the last part.

He fast walks over to the pilot chair.

He sits down, looking down.

And, teary eyed... He's sighing heavily in his hand.

* * *

 _Act II_

A hour later, somewhere on Meadow...

There are two very dark brown wood chairs.

Against these chairs... Mal and Zoe are tied up in black belt like leather straps.

Their coats are bunched up on the floor by them.

They're in a basement styled room.

There's stark white sliding screens wall in back. A few bright lights are on.

Deros, his legal wife Stephanie Jones, Kevin, his legal husband Morin, and Brent Wyant are standing in the room.

Most of them disturbingly smile. Brent Wyant just taps his fingers impatiently with his arms crossed.

Brent Wyant has spiky medium black hair.

He's a mercenary with a light tan holster. He has a dark red rifle with a light tan sun symbol on it.

He wears a open dark red studded leather jacket and a dark tan bluish gray top.

Stephanie Jones wears the uniform of a Alliance police officer.

She has long brown hair done up in a ponytail. She fancies a pair of metallic knives in her pockets.

Morin has medium darkish brown hair.

He wears silver hoop earrings, a long sleeved yellow lined white shirt under a dark green vest, and light tan brown pants. He also has a black glock.

A wood door is to the side. It goes up some stairs to a wooden trapdoor above.

A wheeled metal operating table is off in the corner. Many little surgical knives and picks are scattered on it.

There's a short white pillar with some controls on it. A Cortex screen is on the wall before the pillar.

Stanton is standing guard at the short white pillar.

His shotgun is drawn out and ready. But, he keeps tensely looking down at the pillar.

Mal tensely asks, "why the gorram hell you putting blastomeres in us? Find it go better to just shoot us for being grudgeful for Tracy gettin' shot with my gun."

Stephanie Jones coldly mutters, "don't need a gun if you try to escape. These cut anyone."

She draws out her knives.

Ignoring her... Deros cuts to the chase, "we were all thinking it. But, sadly, it ain't up to my unit. Faint laugh. The Triad think your innards are special. Here's how you gonna die. We gonna turn the room freezin'. Null the senses well enough for surgery. We gonna change out your livers for weaker ones. When you scream your last scream...we sell your new innards for double. Maybe triple for some. Sudden, it don't seem bad on our end."

Stephanie Jones lowers her knives. But, she keeps them drawn out.

She and Deros coldly faintly laugh. Kevin and Brent Wyant just disturbingly keep smiling.

Zoe gives the Triad a hard look back.

Zoe critiques, "hm. Thought the Triad don't keep weaker organs."

Stephanie Jones looks all too amused.

She faintly laughs. She remarks, "what do you think happens to traitors? Flowers on their graves? Faint cold laugh. No. The Triad does two things: Keep their livers after they're dead...or do what we're gonna do to you now."

With a cold glare... Zoe comments, "Tracey crossed you: Not the other way 'round."

With a tense glare... Mal brings up, "which is why I'm dyin' to ask: Why the gorram hell you keep this up?! I never took no job of yours."

Deros, Stephanie Jones, Kevin, and Brent Wyant coldly laugh. Morin smirks to himself.

Zoe and Mal look irritated some.

Incredulously... Brent Wyant says, "you really don't get it? Laugh. You really don't now?"

Kevin, Morin, and Brent Wyant look amused.

Kevin suggests, "why don't you remind him? He ain't going anywhere but a grave."

Deros briefly turns to him.

With a disturbing smile... He says, "yes. Why don't I?"

Deros continues, "it's why the Triad and Yolanda collaborated to create Saffron's identify to begin with."

Zoe and Mal get wide eyed.

Mostly calmly... Zoe suggests, "you could least run it down for me. I ain't going anywhere neither."

Stephanie Jones's amused look hasn't changed.

Deros faintly laughs. He comments back, "don't see why not."

Deros continues, "Yolanda was good at getting by on her own. But, she kind of wanted to live more comfortably. We wanted a wife for the legendary Malcolm Reynolds that could work well to corpsify him if necessary. But, she'd first offer him a job under the noses of everybody else. What better than pretending to be from a Maiden House near a town you help, and passing off herself at first as a submissive wife that stowed away on your ship?"

Mal figures, "I reckon now you did. How the hell did you send Yolanda there?"

Confidently... Deros breaks it down, "we always go in units of three. A enforcer leads. A wife or husband for the enforcer and a mercenary are the other two parts. We knew what bandits were coming to town 'fore the call for help from Elder Gommen came. Serenity were one of the few ships in the Sunner. A elder that worked for us easy convinced Elder Gommen you and Saffron were thinking of marriage anyhow 'fore you even set foot on Triumph. Faint laugh. We even have respected personal Companions working for us."

Mal and Zoe get a little teary eyed halfway through.

They sniffle hard some.

They're thinking back to a letter Elder Gommen sent to them through post.

It said:

 _Malcolm Reynolds,_

 _We're very sorry your wife turned out to be a double crosser._

 _I don't know if you'll ever set eyes on our town again. I can't really blame you long if you don't._

 _But...I pray as such this gives better regards to you._

 _We take consent very seriously in our town._

 _Papers seemed good from the Maiden House._

 _One of my closest friends gave a strong recommendation. He said you and Saffron talked of marriage before you came._

 _As I said... I don't know if you'll ever set eyes on our town again._

 _But, what ever happens out there for you... Bless you._

 _You didn't only save us from bandits._

 _You helped us see we should be more attentive with our wives before they marry. We won't make that mistake again._

No one but Kaylee believed the letter. Mal just tore it up.

Even if Mal and Zoe make it back to Serenity now... Now the crew can't even send a letter in post back to apologize without bringing The Alliance down on all of them.

If it wasn't for the folks on Triumph having a Amish way of life, they could just send a wave. But, that's not happening unless they get in big trouble again.

Deros continues, "you were legendary after the war 'fore your crew were. When news hit of a ship like yours run afoul from the law takin' goods from a derelict ship, and you took passengers off from Persephone... We started to realize you were out on your own. You had become a good candidate for a enforcer. Faint laugh. Most any one else on your crew could be mercenary. Yolanda was a good candidate for your wife. All that really mattered there was being a check against you in case you turned on us: Specially if you were to take our offer."

With a very faint smirk... Mal says, "'cept you missed a step."

Deros challenges, "how is that?"

Mal answers simply, "I never heard of no offer."

Almost eleven months ago...

Saffron was sitting in a wood chair before a cold metal table.

Stark white sliding screens surrounded her. It made the only bright light behind them look ghostly.

A tinfoil wrap bag was over her head.

That is...until someone pulled it off.

Saffron seemed somewhat shaken.

A side of her face was still bruised from Mal punching her out.

The shadow of the figure behind her was already leaving through one of the sliding screens.

A man with medium black hair was sitting across from Saffron.

He was known to most as Lieutenant Rooker. He wore a Alliance police uniform.

Saffron was quick to assume, "Triad. Very faint laugh. Sniffle. Yeah. That could have gone better."

She was getting teary eyed.

Emotionlessly... Lieutenant Rooker pressed, "how did Malcolm Reynolds took the offer?"

She faintly laughed.

Bitter sounding... She was muttering back, "you think it went well? I... I tried. Hard sniffle. I tried. But, he turned it down. He tracked me down after I left. Next thing I saw was his fist."

Lieutenant Rooker pressed, "why? Why did he?"

Saffron scoffed.

She said, "it was a warning to you."

Lieutenant Rooker heavily sighed.

After a bit... He said, "all right. We'll let you go. But, you fail us again... Laugh. You'll never fail again."

Saffron just smirked.

She raised a eyebrow.

She commented, "you know, that's not very intimidating."

Lieutenant Rooker was glaring tensely at her.

He was responding, "it should. Your vitals are remarkable. But, if you think you're just getting by now...imagine what it would be like to be kept in chains as a human incubator chamber."

Saffron was very nervously gulping.

Some tears were falling from her face.

She was sniffling hard.

But, after a bit... She was furiously glaring instead.

Saffron shot back, "you tā mā de húndàn de cāngyíng! I'll just stay the hell away!"

And... She was thinking to herself:

 _I could have gone on with the Triad Job. Made the offer to Captain Malcolm Reynolds. But...I didn't._

 _Faint laugh._

 _Yeah. The Triad job would at least have been a lot more money for me._

 _But...playing just one part would've got boring as hell._

 _That's even if I was deal a good hand._

 _Hard sniffle!_

 _My god. I'm actually going to lose some sleep now over my shiny vitals._

 _Faint laugh._

 _The carrion house job was more thrilling anyway._

Presently...

Deros, Stephanie Jones, Kevin, and Brent Wyant are suddenly glaring very coldly at Zoe and Mal.

They're glaring...because Zoe and Mal are laughing hard at them.

Mal goes, "ohh Deros. Hard laugh! My god. Could it be that just made my day right there?"

Mal and Zoe struggle to catch their breath.

After a bit... They're breathing again.

They still look real amused.

Mal comments, "you really think I refuse before knowin' I'd go refuse anyhow."

He laughs hard.

Sharply... Deros shouts, "that is enough!"

He looks ready to strangle Mal.

But...he just as quickly pulls back his hand.

He moderately sighs.

All the Triad members look stunned at him in shock.

Deros finds it hard to look at them right now.

He mutters under his breath, "enough of this fei-oo. Turn down the temperature!"

He's very quick to walk out the door.

Stephanie Jones rushes to join him. But, not before pressing a few buttons on the controls for the Cortex screen.

All the Triad members walk out the door...leaving Zoe and Mal alone to the dropping temperature of the room.

* * *

 _Act III_

Around then, back on Serenity...

Kaylee and River are in the engine room.

Kaylee is sitting on the floor against Serenity's engine. River is sitting next to her.

They're somberly looking through photos together.

They're photos Kaylee has taken of the crew: Not long before and after the bank job on Constance.

They faintly chuckle at some photos of Inara, Mal, and Book smiling back at them.

Mal lightly waved in his picture. Book is holding his bible in his picture.

Inara reactively has a hand over her side in most of several pictures.

It was still twitching some from Kalliav's handguns the night before. But, Inara pretended it was nothing.

In one picture, she beamed at Kaylee and River.

In several others... She was putting on a one woman comedy play for them in the middle of the day.

She was going from making silly faces on one side to waving her pointed hand in a scolding way on the other.

Inara called the play Little Inara and Little Malcolm's Tea Party Mess.

Kaylee and River were laughing and chuckling like crazy the whole time.

They knew well who she was lightly jabbing at in these pictures. And, it wasn't just herself.

Around then...

Jayne is sitting hunched over in the turned about co-pilot seat in the cockpit.

Wash is standing there off to the side some, facing him.

Teary eyed... Jayne is saying, "Wash... Moderate sigh. It wouldn't be right."

With a sharp glare... Wash says, "what? You think I want to be captain?! Least you had your own ship."

Jayne deeply sighs.

A tear falls from his face.

Jayne mutters, "I ain't gonna be responsible for another ship goin' down. Hell, I'd rather River bein' captain."

Wash's glare quickly fades. And, in its place is shock: Pure shock.

But... Wash can't help but comment, "oh god. That has to hurt: Letting River be in charge. Very faint laugh. But..."

There's a brief uncomfortable silence.

Wash realizes, "...that means you really mean it."

Jayne figures, "damn right I do. Hard sniffle. She's a ruttin' annoying kid with a shot up brainpan. But, damn right I do!"

Meanwhile...

Simon is also in the engine room.

He's been sitting in the mostly light tan red chair, looking down.

Teary eyed... He's thinking to himself:

 _It's not like I hadn't thought of taking control of the ship. What good mannered person wouldn't?_

 _Wash and Jayne are pounding on their chests like apes!_

 _Heavy sigh._

 _Kaylee is a really good friend. River is my sister. But, they don't want to take the ship away from the captain: They want the captain back._

 _Faint laugh. I can't really say I blame them._

 _But...my god. I can't take control of the ship._

 _I haven't really shot anybody!_

 _Hard sniffle._

 _I also might not be able to live with myself._

 _Hard sniffle!_

 _How could I lead a plan to get the captain and Zoe out if I can't really go in with a gun?_

Then... He hears Wash and Jayne shouting.

Simon is quick to say, "I'm going to see if I can sort this out. I'll be back."

River faintly smiles back knowingly. Kaylee faintly nods.

Simon fast walks down the hall.

He gets to the cockpit.

But...he pauses right at the foot of the stairs up.

He overhears and sees them talking through the open doorframe to the cockpit.

With a smirk... Wash figures, "what 'bout miss hell humper? Faint laugh. Me and Zoe still don't really get it first or second glance. But... Sniffle. I know you don't got to get a second glance to know you love her. And dear god, somehow it's working. It was getting fun before Dust Devils threw up dust all over it. But...yeah Jayne. It can be that again."

Jayne laughs hard some at the next to last part.

Jayne finally looks up at Wash.

With a smirk... Jayne says, "thanks little man."

Wash concludes, "you're welcome."

Wash adds, "and who knows? Maybe your riches will be still waiting: If she hasn't spent it all up already."

Jayne's smirk quickly fades.

Wash kind of nervously gulps.

Jayne mutters back, "now that is crazy talk. I still goin' back for my riches, gorramit. Bounties just gotta clear 'fore I can."

He points warningly to Wash at the first part.

Wash puts his hands up.

Just as quickly, he slaps them down by his sides.

He just goes, "fine! Fine."

He heavily sighs.

Before Wash can say something more... Jayne brings up, "'bout Saffron?"

Wash adds, "yeah?"

Solemnly... Jayne pinpoints, "ya think I ain't already tried reachin' her with a wave? Moderate sigh. I would of reach her if could, Wash. But...she ain't always in my range to get for thrilling heroics. Figure this be one of them times."

They both moderately sigh.

Wash suggests, "well, now that we've gone and talked crazy...you still think you're the only one hurtin' because of not wanting to take over as the captain?"

Now he's getting teary eyed.

Jayne looks wide eyed in astonishment.

Jayne concludes, "why? Who did you go ruttin' let die? You ain't like me: You just a damn happy pilot!"

Wash admits, "I haven't always been a happy man. Hard sniffle. Until I found Mal and Zoe... Hard sniffle. I was only happy because I...because I never thought about anything else except flying."

He's kind of shaking like mad standing there. But, he's sounding solemn as he goes.

Wash continues, "I lost everyone I cared about on my planet! Hard sniffle! Until I fell in love with Zoe, that was the only thing that kept me going. Flying. I didn't care who was paying: Just long as I could still fly like a blissful free bird. Qīn'ài de, bù gāoxìng de shén! Hard sniffle! Some I'm sure were Alliance. Do you have any sense how that feels, Jayne? Knowing you might have led the triggers that killed some of Zoe's friends in war...and you don't really know anymore?!"

And... Wash starts to break down sobbing.

Then... Jayne flat out admits, "actually...I do."

He has a pained look on his face.

After a bit... Wash starts to slowly but surely stop sobbing.

And, under his breath... He realizes, "you do?"

Jayne points out, "yeah. I hate when a thing don't make no sense. Heavy sigh. I ain't liked to think 'bout if Saffron..."

Uncomfortably... Wash finishes the thought, "...led some of our friends to their death to steal from them?"

They both sniffle hard some.

Jayne moderately sighs. He continues, "yah. 'specially if they got them brown coats or close to Kaylee. Moderate sigh. I ain't askin' 'less there it come."

Wash confesses, "I've never asked Zoe. Hard sniffle. It wouldn't help. I get it. Maybe you really got some sense up there."

Sounding a little better... Jayne adds, "thanks."

Simon finally comes up.

He's very faintly smiling to himself as he does.

He's teary eyed. But, he carries himself up the stairs like it's nothing.

Awkwardly... Simon goes, "hello. I...I heard shouting. And..."

Jayne glares suspiciously toward him. But, he doesn't say anything.

Wash mostly assures, "sorry. But, we're not anymore."

Simon nervously gulps some. For, he just noticed Jayne glaring toward him.

Simon just says, "okay. I'll just..."

He points backwards to the stairs with one of his hands.

He's about to turn around and go back down the stairs.

But, suddenly... There's several little whooing like chones in a row heard over a Cortex screen.

It's coming from some of the control panels.

Simon, Wash, and Jayne fast walk over to it.

Wash lets the feed through with a press of a button.

And, as they look at the incoming feed... They faintly smile and grin.

It's a scanned in blueprint of a Triad controlled sheriff station. It's drawn up in black ink on darkish red parchment paper.

It's slightly blurry. But, the basement level styled room from earlier is easy enough to see on it.

Simon, Wash, and Jayne all laugh to themselves.

Simon looks stunned.

And... He lightly calls out, "that jīngshénbìng de húndàn!"

Twenty five minutes later, over Meadow...

It's mid-day. The White Sun casts a glare against the billboard covered blocks.

Back in the underground basement styled room...

Mal and Zoe are shivering something fierce.

Their somewhat nervous breathing is visible in the cold.

There's a loud choo. Then, another.

Then, all of a sudden... The door opens.

Mal and Zoe kind of slowly shift their eyes around to look. But, they can't tell from their seats.

Then... The straps are torn off at the ends from under the seats.

Mal and Zoe's legs are near numb from the cold.

They kind of slowly get to their feet. But, with every ounce of feeling left...they walk a little faster for the door a little.

The warm breeze from the left open door sure is helping.

They take their coats off the floor to start putting them on.

They walk faster through the door.

They cough hard some.

They hold onto the doorframe to help their legs recover a little.

Deros's and Kevin's bodies are lying dead. Dark red liquid starts to seep through the wood floor under them.

And, standing there...is Stanton with his shotgun.

His hands are a little sore from just tearing the straps off.

With a wide smirk... Mal faintly laughs.

With another faint laugh... He comments, "good aim. Finally got right smart by me and turned on them?"

Stanton very faintly smiles. But...he sniffles hard some.

He's teary eyed.

He says, "no Sergeant Reynolds. This were the challenge I've been working up for."

Zoe gives him a suspicious look.

She asks, "and what is that, Stanton?"

Dead certain... Stanton answers, "crippling the Triad."

Zoe and Mal faintly smile at that.

Zoe figures, "all right then. How do we shoot them without our guns?"

Stanton is quick to tell them, "the weapons locker is up the steps. Sniffle. You should go."

Zoe adds, "right." Mal adds, "thank you."

They fast walk up the stairs.

Zoe opens the trapdoor.

Zoe and Mal climb out through it.

Around then...

The sheriff station is built with stark grey lined white bricks. Its walls are covered in round mirrors.

Purple dust goes out a mile all around it. Some dirt trails are carved in just so they're visible.

Stephanie Jones, Morin, and Elam Cassar and his legal wife Larissa Kianto are in the sheriff station.

Elam Cassar has frontless medium gray hair, and a thin matching beard and mustache.

He wears a grey sheriff hat lined with white, a brown buttoned shirt, and a open sleek black jacket. He has a black glock.

Larissa Kianto has medium slightly curly black hair.

She wears mostly very light blue Japanese dress robes. She also has a black rifle.

Brent Wyant and a hired gun named Larosa are just outside.

Larosa has frontless medium black hair. But, it's hard to tell what gender he or she for sure is.

Larosa wears a dark red worn out bulletproof vest over a worn out swamp like dark green dress.

Larosa has a black lower half gas mask with no oxygen tubing or tank. Larosa also has a dark blue rimmed rifle.

All of them got their guns drawn and ready.

Coldly... Stephanie Jones asks, "you serious found him by alone?"

Coolly... Larissa Kianto says, "just as Elam says. Laugh! Real bèn, isn't he?"

She urges Wash in through the open front door with the side of her rifle. But...it's really forcibly shoving him to the floor.

Wash coughs hard some.

He struggles to get up.

Everyone else starts laughing at him.

But... Wash can faintly hear some loud choos outside.

He purposely laughs hard over himself...over the sound of the loud choos.

He falls back down.

He's doubled over on the floor on his side, trying to catch his breath from laughing hard.

And, dryly... He goes, "yeah. Yeah, I am. Poor defenseless semi-muscular me."

Everyone else keeps laughing.

While they're not looking... Wash reaches for something up his sleeve.

He strikes it against his boot.

And... Wash points out, "oh wait. Here is the glistening highlight of my plan."

He's just lit a flashbang grenade against his boot.

He throws it up.

The laughter from the Triad quickly gives way to sheer terror.

Wash very quickly crouches down with his face down against the sheriff's wooden desk.

A loud bang goes off. A blinding flash goes off.

Members of the Triad crying out in Chinese are hard to hear against the bang.

They reactively cover their eyes. But...they're not quick enough.

They're temporarily blinded and deaf from the close radius of the explosion.

They're coughing violently some, clutching their slightly burnt arms and shoulders.

All of them reactively drop their guns.

They're frantically feeling around each other's arms, struggling to look for where anything has gone.

Wash groans hard some.

He's seeing bright spots in his vision himself.

But... He kind of quickly gets back up.

On impulse... He grabs one of the fallen glocks from the floor.

On impulse, he left his pistol with Jayne just before going ahead to the sheriff station. But, he had a feeling he just needed one of Jayne's grenades up his sleeve.

Around then, just outside...

Brent Wyant is lying dead on the ground.

Some dark red liquid starts to seep into the ground from his body.

Jayne whirls about.

He's got his Point 445 Dan Wesson Supermag already drawn out.

He's about to shoot at Larosa.

With a loud choo... Larosa fires first.

Jayne runs out of the way in a short sprint.

More shots at each other. More loud choos.

They violently groan. They reactively clutch their dark red liquid dripping arms.

Larosa doubles back.

And, with one of Larosa's arms down... Larosa kind of easily drops the rifle.

Jayne disturbingly faintly grins.

And, without a second thought... He shoots Larosa dead.

Around then, back in the Triad's sheriff station...

Stephanie Brown coldly laughs.

She's clutching her slightly burnt arm. But, that arm is still holding one of her knives.

Between violent groans... She mutters, "hate to admit it. But...that is...awful good thinkin' for...semi-muscled."

Sounding cold all a sudden... Wash adds, "glad you got to watch my glistening highlight."

He very nervously gulps. But, his eyes look just as cold.

He aims the glock at her.

Even while she can't see or hear much... Stephanie Brown has her knife aimed in his direction.

She's about to throw it at Wash.

That is...until Mal comes back around.

He gets a real cold look in his eyes.

And, without a second thought... He violently punches Stephanie Brown in the side of her head.

Her neck snaps.

Reactively... She gets wide eyed, hunching down.

She deeply gasps.

And, in a few seconds... She falls dead on the floor.

Dark red liquid starts to seep around her left open mouth.

Sounding very nervous... Wash murmurs under his breath, "oh god."

He quickly looks away from the dead body.

Without a second thought... He drops the glock back to the floor.

Zoe and Mal have already punched out the other three Triad members with surprising ease.

By then... Jayne is walking into the sheriff station.

He bends over the sheriff's unconscious body.

Jayne tears off a big piece of the underside of his overcoat.

Some dark red liquid is trailing down his arm. But...Jayne wraps the big piece of overcoat around most of it.

Jayne stifles another violent groan.

The big piece of overcoat stops more dark red liquid from dripping.

Zoe is quick to pry open the metallic weapons locker with her bare hands.

Inside is her custom made rifle, Mal's shotgun, a Liberty Hammer pistol, and whatever else they had on them last night.

With a smirk... Mal comments, "Wash. Appreciate you was 'bout to put aside you gettin' tetchy on guns to..."

Wash, Zoe, and Jayne very faintly smile.

Zoe hands Mal his shotgun and Liberty Hammer pistol. She's holding onto her custom made rifle.

Wash is about to say something. But...Zoe practically said it first.

Zoe asks in concern, "sir? What's troublin' you?"

Sounding somewhat nervous... Mal is quick to ask, "who got you to come rescue us, Wash?"

Wash turns back well enough to face him.

He brings up, "Mal... Faint nervous laugh. You mean you didn't happen to send us a really convenient map?"

Mal gets wide eyed and open mouthed.

Wash asks in concern, "Mal?"

Mal doesn't answer him.

He seems to almost tear the trapdoor apart as he opens it back up.

Mal orders, "Zoe...get everyone back to the ship."

He's not turning back as he says it.

Zoe asks, "what 'bout you, sir?"

Firmly... Mal insists, "I'll make it back. Go!"

A little reluctantly... Zoe says, "all right. Wash, Jayne...we're goin' out front."

Wash says, "okay baby. I'll be right out with you."

Zoe smirks.

She puts a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

Wash very faintly smiles back.

Then... Jayne starts to ask, "Zoe, you sure 'bout...?"

Zoe whirls back around to him.

With a piercing warning glare... Zoe orders, "now, Jayne!"

Jayne gulps nervously some.

He follows Wash and Zoe out the front door.

All three of them fast walk out.

They come to a stop half a mile away from the sheriff station.

Zoe turns to face Jayne and Wash.

Before Jayne can say something... Zoe explains, "if there's a bomb, we ain't stickin' 'round inside for it to go off and kill us. Figure neither is the captain. Right now, we hold ground."

Jayne moderately sighs. He begrudgingly says, "all right. That ain't soundin' half dumb."

With a smirk... Zoe adds, "thank you."

Around then...

Mal rushes down the stairs.

He calls out, "Stanton? If this be your idea of hide and seek, it ain't funny long!"

No answer.

He sees a wood back door down a small dark hallway.

He opens it.

Nothing but a smallish storm shelter and closed shut double doors.

Mal is getting real irritated.

Then... Mal starts to see smoke coming from the other door.

Mal tries to kick it open. But...all it does is make his leg throb.

Mal reactively clutches his leg. But, the throbbing is quickly subsiding.

He mutters under his breath, "gorramit."

Mal peers through the kind of big window built in the door.

The operating table and the chairs are bunched up in front of it. Hints of them are seen.

Flames are beginning to cover the floor and ceiling in the basement styled room.

Ceiling panels are exploding in bursts of fire and smoke. Overloaded heating system parts are coming down.

A reddish black data stick is sticking out from the top of the short pillar.

And, by the controls...is Stanton.

He's still faintly teary eyed. He's sweating like hell.

Mal calls out, "Stanton! What the gorram hell are you...?!"

Dead certain... Stanton explains, "this pillar gets burned. The data stick will release a virus in their private channel. Violent cough! Things will no longer be looking up... Violent cough! ...for the Triad."

He doesn't even turn around from the short pillar.

Mal shoots back, "then why in the TYEN shiao-duh you got yourself holed up? Get the hell out of there!"

He has his shotgun drawn out.

With a few loud choos... He shoots the metal hinges off the door.

He kind of quickly puts the shotgun away.

Stanton presses some final buttons on the pillar.

The Cortex screen comes to life.

A download bar is hard to make out against the rising smoke.

Flames are burning up the pillar and Cortex screen. Electric sparks go off.

Stanton moves away from the flames.

He fast walks to a unburnt back side of the room. But, it won't last long.

Mal pulls the door down the other way.

It falls hard down on the floor with a splintering thud.

Stanton sniffles hard.

He calls back, "ain't got to waste shots on me. Go!"

And... He drops his shotgun.

It fall from his hands with a loud thud.

Mal looks wide eyed in shock.

Teary eyed... He mutters under his breath, "no Stanton. No. I ain't leavin' you...!"

He pushes aside the operating table.

It's super hot. But, he doesn't seem to care.

Then... A burst of flames shoot up from the pile of ash ahead.

The chairs have been turned to ash.

Mal reactively covers his eyes.

After a bit... Mal opens them.

He sees the flames are now too big for him to set foot in the room.

He frustratedly mutters some hard to hear Chinese under his breath.

He sniffles hard. Some tears fall from his face.

Stanton sniffles hard.

His overcoat and vest have been tossed away to burn. But, the flames are still closing in.

He's crouched down on his side.

He's violently coughing again and again. His vision is blurring fast.

Between violent coughing... Stanton reveals, "I only came to cripple them. But... Hard sniffle. I killed innocent people to cripple...them. Hard sniffle. I got the challenge I was after. But..."

Tears are falling from his face.

And, with a violent cough... He outright says, "living with it is...too much challenge for me."

Mal can only watch helplessly...as the flames start to burn Stanton's body.

Stanton sharply screams and screams.

More near blinding bursts of flame and smoke from the ceiling.

Mal reactively covers his eyes.

Some sobs escape from his mouth.

But, just as quickly... He takes a heavy breath.

He opens his eyes.

And...he sees the flames coming out for him.

Mal makes a run for it.

He climbs out through the trapdoor.

A gust of flames and smoke comes from the burning up stairs.

He barely tumbles out of the way of the gust.

The fire is spreading through the sheriff station.

Mal's hands feel burnt. But, he still pulls himself back to his feet.

He stifles some screams of his own as he does.

He's running out of the sheriff station.

The whole station is going up in smoke.

Bursts of fire and smoke burst through the then shattering mirrors behind Mal.

But... He is still standing.

No one else knows what just happened.

Zoe and Wash just faintly smile. Jayne just faintly smirks.

And, in spite of the teariness in his eyes... Mal politely faintly smiles back a ways to them.

That night, on Serenity...

Mal is sitting on the edge of his bed...facing what he swore was the mental image of Stanton.

Some pained tears fall from his face. Chills run down his spine.

In his mind... He hears several voices again:

Then why in the TYEN shiao-duh you got yourself holed up? Get the hell out of there!

No fuel, no prospects...beggin' for Alliance make-work. That ain't us. Not ever.

You really think I refuse before knowin' I'd go refuse anyhow.

...and that makes 'em look all manner of stupid. Hell, this job I would pull for free.

I got the challenge I was after. But... Hard sniffle. ...living with it is...too much challenge for me.

Please! Faint sob. Please let me explain, Mal. Please...!

I just want you to know that I...I wish things could be different. Hard sniffle. Every thing 'cept for the war.

...try to scare me away. But, deep down, past the act... You know I'm right.

And you ain't left a trail of bodies, work you and Zoe do? Faint sniffle! What are we now, Mal?! What are we now, Mal?!

Out of the mental echoes... The apparently blurry image comes into focus.

It turns out to really be Mal himself...in Stanton's clothes.

Mal bends over.

With a heavy sigh... Mal finally confesses to himself, "If it came when we was strugglin' just to fly... Hard sniffle. Could have been like Stanton if the offer came."

Some faint sobs. More pained tears fall.

Between his tears... Mal confesses, "gorram set on protectin' my crew and stickin' it to The Alliance. Hard sniffle. Could murder more'n me on just principle if I... Hard sniffle. ...if I ain't careful 'nough."

He has just suddenly heard a loud knock on his bunk door.

Mal is still teary eyed. But, he carries himself up and out of his bunk like it's nothing.

When he gets up there... He sees a teary eyed Zoe standing there.

She says, "sir? I know you wanted to be off by yourself to think. But..."

Mal asks in concern, "Zoe?"

Zoe sniffles hard some.

And... She says, "you better come look for yourself."

A few minutes later, in River and Simon's bunk...

River is shivering like crazy on the floor.

Simon is crouched down by her.

Some big purplish bruises are briefly seen through his torn sleeves. But, he seems to be ignoring them.

Kaylee is sitting just outside River and Simon's bunk...crying into her hands.

Mal and Zoe get there.

Somberly... Mal murmurs, "oh, bǎ wǒ tī dào suǒyǒu shénshèng de dǐbù."

A black colored pencil is lying on its side on the floor. Dark red liquid is around the tip.

One of River's fingers is still dripping dark red liquid.

Simon kind of slowly hands River her and Simon's own bedsheets in a bundle.

Surprisingly cold... And, with a glare... She murmurs, "fine."

But, she takes the bedsheets.

With very mixed feelings... Simon kind of quickly backs up through the open sliding door.

And, when he backs up... There's a message on the floor clear to see...written in dark red liquid.

It says:

So cold. So cold! Where are you, Simon?

No. Only Academy doctors.

Serenity? Mal?! Kaylee?! Simon?!

Cold metal. Metal. So cold in the cell.

Help me! Help me! !

* * *

 _Loosely Written But Still Based On:_

1) War Chest; from the Firefly RPG Game Corebook(under the Further Adventures possibilities for The Message episode section)

2) Deep Underground; from the Firefly RPG Game Corebook(under the Further Adventures possibilities for the Ariel episode section)


	17. S2, Ep 7: Blue Suns and Townsfolk

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Blue Suns and Townsfolk:

 _Teaser_

Past the planets Triumph and Paquin... There's a Rim planet: Lazarus.

Mostly Christian, Greek, and Roman folks live here.

They were growing many forests in spite of the volcanic lands around them.

The DNA bred animals had to stay in the generational Arks until there was enough land for them to walk and land from flying...and it wasn't long before everything went to shit.

Folks were flinging cooking pots and animal shit, animals were stampeding against the walls... Even Alliance Commanders weren't immune to rising anger.

Instead of fighting themselves, most of the Alliance Commanders rallied all the folks they could to stop the fighting.

Thousands to knock out thousands.

They thought there wasn't enough. Most of the animals and folks have died in shit and big burnt dark red cuts.

They treated hundreds of the wounded animals and folks through the night.

They were really tired and smelly the next day.

But, miraculously... They did it: They saved enough animals and folks to keep the civilization going.

Peace on Lazarus has held ever since.

Politicians and military officers from Lazarus are known in the Verse for their heated arguments with The Alliance.

But, most all of them strongly prefer to fight legally. So, The Alliance usually gives them a stern warning and walks away.

Alliance MPs are the police and rescue teams.

They have blue diagonally striped mostly white armor plating. They have matching air tanks and gas masks, and a spare gas mask with their armor at all times: In case they get caught near a volcanic eruption.

Active volcanoes, bright green forests, rugged volcanic soil, six AATSs, water trenches with controlled channels for a steady flow to crops in summer and spring no matter what the weather... Lazarus has become a resort planet and the most militarized Rim planet.

There's towns and gardens built up from metals along the shorelines. There's a large roughly rhino shaped island for Alliance girls and boys boarding schools, temples, and churches for Greek, Roman, and Christian worship.

There's Greek and Roman spas, parthenons...even stone cities reminiscent of Jerusalem.

A month or so ago...

It was mid-afternoon on Lazarus, before a not very bright blue sky.

But... The seas were glistening brightly in reflections of the mostly red protostar Heinlein.

A moon named Dora circles around Lazarus.

No one really lived there. But then, it became a Alliance military post that's one big control room.

There's two docks that could accommodate two Tohoku Class city ships.

They and the AATSs have the only Alliance security cameras for the whole planet.

On one screen... There was at the time the latest report on Verbena.

Independent Planets flags and Alliance flags still up on their planet sides, bee farms heavily cracked or shattered, two to three cabins burned down in every town square... And still, the smoke rose over the flames like hungry sharks out of water.

The Alliance finally put a end to the civil war. But, three hundred thousand people were already dead by then.

At another screen... A Alliance MP was in front of said screen.

Somewhat uneasy... The Alliance MP asked, "o...kay. Are you sure about this, Commander?"

Over the Cortex... Off of a Telephonix screen... A Alliance Commander insisted, "Blue Sun is confident what happened before won't happen again. Parliament has approved. We have our orders."

The Alliance MP concluded, "clearly. But, what do you think Commander?"

The Alliance Commander raised a eyebrow.

He continued, "Blue Sun checked the turbines first. Nothing of note from Alliance Intelligence. So, I'm well assured soldier. I presume I don't need to remind you how important this is to The Alliance?"

The Alliance MP concluded, "you presume correct, Commander."

With a firm faint smile... The Alliance Commander concluded, "good. We're sending preliminary schematics to your station now. You'll be coordinating with your government to find two suitable locations for construction of the twin Genradiation power plants."

With a firm smile... The Alliance MP confirmed, "I understand."

The Alliance Commander added, "thank you."

He soon cut off the private line.

Presently...

It's getting late at night.

Mal is sitting in one of the seats in the cockpit.

Teary eyed... Mal tries to assure, "we'll do all we can, doctor."

Simon moderately sighs into his arms.

Then... Simon continues to face him in the chair opposite him.

Teary eyed... Simon voices, "yeah. No: I don't disagree. It makes all too much sense. I...I just really hope you know what you're doing, captain."

He gets up.

He kind of loudly walks out of the cockpit.

Mal heavily sighs into his hand.

Then... He admits outright, "so do I, doctor."

By then though... Simon has already vanished from sight.

There's a nervous silence.

Mal gets up.

A yawn escapes from his lips.

He is about to turn in for the night.

Then, suddenly... A little whooing like chone is heard over a Cortex screen.

Mal goes over to take a look.

It's a letter from Inara.

It says:

Dear Mal,

I'm not telling you I'm coming back or not coming back. I don't mean to play with your feelings.

I don't know if there can really be a good time to tell you this.

But...I found out something that the crew should know.

One of my friends told me that two Genradiation power plants are about to...

As Mal keeps reading her letter... He heavily sighs.

He starts to turn in for the night.

He heavily sighs against the left open doorway to the cockpit.

Tomorrow is going to be a bigger hell of a day than he first thought.

* * *

 _Act I_

Tomorrow morning, in the galley...

Just before they ate, the crew had a silent prayer for Stanton.

Mal just very uncomfortably led it with the truth of what happened yesterday.

There was not even a single belonging left for a proper funeral for Stanton: With or without bounties on Mal's crew.

Simon kind of slowly gave River a bowl of protein pack mix and a glass of water.

Mal and Zoe came with him with their guns in case River had a mental episode. But, she didn't seem to have one this time.

Last night, Simon slept downstairs with Kaylee in her bunk. But, they had a hard time sleeping: Half awake, half turned.

Now... Everyone has just finished eating.

There's a very nervous silence over the table.

Everyone is teary eyed.

In a harsh tone... Jayne mutters, "aw, come on now. She still stayin' after that night? What kinda sick joke is this?"

He smirks.

Tensely... Zoe points out, "no one is laughing, Jayne."

Her, Simon, Mal, Wash, and Kaylee are glaring at Jayne.

Jayne's smirk quickly fades.

He kind of shakily points his finger toward Simon.

He thinks outright, "what...what 'bout you doc? Figure you oughta had some plan to get your crazy sister off the ship."

Kaylee and Simon very faintly smile to themselves. But, they're finding it hard to look up.

They're holding hands in comfort under the table.

Zoe and Wash are holding each other close at the table. They find it hard to look up as well.

Mal brings up, "much as I would kindly like it to be that simple to help her, Jayne... Faint sniffle. It real ain't."

Looking shook... Jayne practically shouts, "gorramit Mal! Why the hell not?"

There's a brief nervous silence.

Somewhat coldly... Simon moderately sighs.

He looks up.

And... He explains, "because she is the only good chance we have to find and stop the new class at The Academy...which seems to be a strong possibility of calming River down for a long time when it's over. And, if that isn't enough for you..."

Jayne moderately sighs. He goes, "aw hell. Just tell it straight to me! I can take it."

Zoe and Wash can't help but very faintly smile at that.

With a faint smile... Simon highlights, "the captain and Saffron hate The Alliance. Yes. I may not know much about Saffron. But...I don't think either of them would like us giving up to stop young boys and girls from being experimented on by The Alliance to become killers just to calm you down."

Jayne finds it hard to look up. He gulps very nervously.

And... He mutters under his breath, "gorramit!"

He heatedly glares back at Simon. But...he just storms off to his bunk.

The bunk door slams down shut behind him.

Wash, Zoe, Simon, and Kaylee breathe heavy sighs of relief.

Then... Mal wonders, "so...how do you reckon she can stay?"

Simon looks incredulous at him.

In a low tone... He argues back, "me?! I thought you would think of something!"

Mal comments, "hey! I never said I could. It ain't simple as me thinkin' of somethin'."

At the same time... Kaylee and Simon ask, "what?!"

Sounding unphased... Mal brings up, "doctor, you know neuropsychology. I ain't know it."

Everyone else at the table heavily and moderately sighs.

Simon relents, "all right. Fair point. But...but, that still leaves us not sure of what we're going to do before Jayne starts to think it would be a good idea to try to toss River out the airlock."

Some tears fall from Kaylee's face.

In a serious tone... She says, "hell no. He'd had to go through me. I can't be lettin' 'im try to kill River!"

Wash, Zoe, and Mal very faintly smile and smirk to themselves.

Simon assures, "Kaylee, I...I know you can talk to him. Sniffle. But, I hope you won't have to."

Some more tears fall from Kaylee's face.

She sniffles hard. But...the teariness in her eyes dries up some.

Kaylee faintly beams, "thanks Simon." Simon sincerely adds, "you're welcome Kaylee."

After a bit... Wash starts to say, "well, we could..."

He moderately sighs. He figures, "no, that wouldn't work."

Zoe is looking down.

She comments, "honey... Moderate sigh. I don't seem to get a thing to work for it neither."

They all heavily and deeply sigh.

Mal, Zoe, Simon, and Kaylee sink some more into their chairs.

Then... Mal looks up.

He mutters under his breath, "gorramit!"

He slams his fist down on the table.

Wash, Kaylee, and Simon gulp quite nervously.

Mal thinks out loud, "if Inara were here now, we could not be here still tryin' to come up with a plan."

He tiredly sighs into his hand.

Trying to still smile... Kaylee thinks out loud, "well...Inara did a comedy play for me and River. You think that maybe we could... Well, I ain't knowing for sure how it'd help us. But, maybe we could improvise a play. Get her to come back?"

Suddenly... Simon smiles wide.

Mal puts his hand down.

Everyone faintly smiles and smirks at the table.

Simon realizes, "yes. That...that's really a good plan Kaylee. We can play out a rescue. We just have to look the parts."

For a second, Mal looks stunned.

He figures, "that is...that is perfect conjuring up a plan, little Kaylee."

With lingering mixed feelings... Kaylee faintly beams.

She adds, "thanks Simon."

Just as quickly... She points up with her finger.

A little nervous... Kaylee says,"oh. And, I ain't forgettin' my Captain. Thanks, captain."

Zoe smiles wide. She can't help but laugh a little.

Mal and Simon just smile. Wash smirks wide in amusement.

Mal orders, "Wash...plot a course for Persephone. We're going to get some costumes for our "play"."

Wash is already fast walking out of the galley.

He calls back, "on it, Mal!"

Almost at the same time... Mal and Zoe fast walk to catch up.

Mal tells Wash, "and soon as you plot a course... I'm comin' on up to talk to you."

Mal tries hard to sound not so serious in front of Kaylee and Simon as he says it.

Wash pauses in the middle of the hall.

He just casually shrugs.

He says, "okay."

Then... He continues fast walking to the cockpit.

Zoe soon catches up with him.

And, meanwhile... Mal is leaning some over the open doorway to the galley.

He heavily sighs...thinking back to Inara's letter over the Cortex.

Not long after that...

Serenity is slightly turning around the black of space.

But, even as the course is set toward some brighter stars... Some stars seem to go dimmer in the black.

Around then, in the cockpit...

Wash is sitting in the pilot seat with his seat slightly turned. He's facing Mal, who is sitting in the co-pilot seat.

Zoe is holding Wash close from behind.

They're all teary eyed.

Real tense... Wash mutters, "Blue Sun is sending this planet in to hell. It's not coming back. Not if we can't..."

He starts to sharply turn his seat back to face the control panel.

But... Zoe keeps just as firm a grip over him and the chair.

Zoe very nervously sighs.

She starts to say, "damn certain I and the captain like your idea. Loud sniffle. But..."

Mal finds it hard to look up.

Wash turns well enough to face Zoe.

Slightly softer in tone... He asks in concern, "what?"

Zoe reasons, "that is ritual suicide. Sniffle! You not makin' it back alive from Dora, and I want you livin'."

A few silent tears fall from her face.

Wash briefly puts his hands up.

Confidently... He goes, "hey! I have been doing fēngkuáng de tèjì for years, honey. It would just take another one."

Zoe nervously sighs.

She brings up, "it's not just a stunt, baby. Sniffle. You would have to get a battalion to much as get on Dora, and we ain't much wealthy or got a battalion. Nothing less can get us inside."

Coldly... Wash shoots back, "well, it's sure as hell better than just sitting to watch a Genradiation apocalypse! Hard sniffle. Someone...someone has to..."

He lets out some sobs.

Mal heavily sighs. Zoe moderately sighs.

After a bit... Mal concludes, "Zoe...I need to talk with your husband: Alone."

Zoe firmly figures, "ain't tellin' me twice, sir."

Wash and Zoe nervously gulp.

Zoe starts to head out of the cockpit.

But...she turns briefly to Wash.

She tells him, "good luck, honey."

Wash very faintly nods.

Then... Zoe walks out of the cockpit.

There's a very nervous silence.

Mal breaks through the silence, "Wash, you... Hard sniffle! You ain't think I know what it be like? Hard sniffle. Not able to save a world from The Alliance?"

And, kind of slowly... They look solemnly right at each other.

From thirty two years to twelve years ago...

Shadow used to be full of big families. Big families with big ranches and twin grain farms.

Most had twenty hands. A few had forty.

The wide open prairies were full of shadows helping each other out.

Rarely any crops died: They just kept growing.

Schoolhouses were open to most all ages. But, there was rarely call for cracking a whip.

Most troubling kids were sent to older relatives or found a place guarding the cattle from wolves and hunters.

But, no matter how much he was whipped... Mal as a young kid kept causing big trouble.

He picked fights with older boys just for "looking down at him" after they told him "he's too young" to look after a kid or some cattle. He mercilessly teased teachers for the littlest things to get back at them for placing him with a bunch of other kids he didn't get along with much.

It was like trouble was all he lived for. He never complained about getting hurt, even when he was beaten up.

Year after year, he held back more and more tears.

When the year 2497 came... Rarely a tear dropped from Mal's face.

For most of his young years, he ended up staying with his grandparents.

A corner of Shadow where there weren't much any kids to pick fights with.

His friends and family weren't out there. But, he still went to a schoolhouse with a few kids.

Mal turned to books to pass the time. But, he never cared to note any of it down.

He even pretended to hate reading so his grandparents would think it was punishment.

Then... The year was 2499.

Mal was finally let back into his ranch: With his momma Belle, his pop, and his many brothers and sisters.

It was a clear blue sky.

It was like stepping back into a blurry dream. No white painted crib anymore.

But, the more he walked toward everything before him...the more it felt real again to Mal.

Belle Reynolds, Mal's momma, was nearly exactly looking the same as she did seven years ago.

She had medium slightly curly brown hair tied back in a bun. But, several curly strands of hair were down over her cheeks.

She wore a white gown decorated with yellow and orange flower patterns. She also wore a little mostly orangish red amulet like ring and a thin silver corkscrew like necklace.

Mal swore he'd "ain't ever lettin' trouble come 'tween him and his family no more."

He was teary eyed with years long regret finally coming out to the sky.

He could barely stand upright against the darkish gray porch to directly face his own momma. And, Belle believed it.

Belle was usually so hardened looking to just about anyone: Anyone except her husband.

But, as soon as she saw Mal that day...she was teary eyed in mixed feelings.

Mal still made some trouble. But, he drew back how much trouble he got into as he promised.

He was kind of keeping himself busy anyhow as a teenage boy: Going after good grades in Alliance senior secondary school and teenage girls to try to date with his best friend Everton Declan.

Soon, Belle was teaching Mal everything she knew: Building back up fences, lassoing straying cattle, getting tough stains out of clothes...and to "not brand the cattle, but brand the buyer".

Then... The year was 2504.

Some of the folks left for the Core Planets when they graduated from school by choice.

Elle, a few other brothers and sisters from the Reynolds family, and several brothers and sisters from other families were among them: Despite their parents trying to gently sway them to stay.

Then... The year was 2506.

Well respected town elders and businessmen from Shadow, Persephone, and Hera were called to appear before Parliament.

The Alliance wanted to help the Rim and Border planets with gravely dwindling supplies.

Folks and cattle across Border planets and Rim planets were dying of malnutrition and thirst because of gravely dwindling supplies. Hunters were picking off the cattle on Shadow before the cattle there too started to die of malnutrition and thirst.

But...the meeting with The Alliance did not go well.

The Alliance said it was "simply too big a task without complete cooperation with new Alliance procedures".

Most every one of the town elders and businessmen stormed out that day.

They said they were being strong armed "to be empty brainpans for the Alliance propaganda filling".

Soon... The Independent Planets faction was beginning to grow.

The Alliance knew Shadow was very important to crops throughout the Verse.

They sent missile like capsules to bomb some of the crops with a bio-engineered disease.

They detonated the capsules in atmo seconds later, hoping very few saw them.

The Alliance offered the cure to stop it from happening...if they give them "complete Alliance cooperation from now on".

But... The folks on Shadow, Persephone, and Hera just got angrier.

Most of the Browncoats were training on Shadow. The wide open prairies were ideal for it.

Soon... The Alliance very reluctantly decided to send several Tohoku Class ships to bomb Shadow.

Every momma, brother, and sister tried to get to the transport ships in time.

Earthquakes tore through the ranches and farms.

Flashes of burning bodies going by. Cries and screams filling the howl of the kicked up dust hurricanes.

Every young man and woman on Shadow that was about to go out in ships on patrol as volunteer soldiers... They only made it off in time because they had ships ready.

No one else seemed to.

A shadow of a planet was all that was left back there.

Just circling charred blackened asteroids, tiny fragments of burnt away clothes, and dust.

Everton Declan, the twenty one children and mommas left... They were sitting by the ship windows, looking out into the black and slowly circling out dust.

No living man, woman, or child with the last name Reynolds was among them.

They were crying and sobbing.

And, for the first time in years... Mal sobbed and sobbed too.

Presently...

Some tears fall from their faces.

Wash bitterly adds, "Blue Sun is worse, Mal."

They both sniffle hard.

Mal comments back, "really now? 'cause I thinkin' they ain't none worse than the other."

From twenty eight years ago to ten years ago...

The year was 2488.

Deadwood used to be full of woods dead and alive. It used to have many towns, scattered barns among the trees, and a good number of trade schools to grind dead trees into fertilizer, build houses, and more.

But, one night... The blue sky began to be covered in very dark green radiation swirls of haze.

The Alliance said over the news wave that "it was nothing to worry about" and that it was "a grave terraforming mistake that has to have accumulated from early terraforming". They also said they were working on finding out how to clean up the radiation and will be ready with a solution soon.

It never came. They never could seem to find out where or how to clean up the radiation.

Year after year, the radiation cloaked more and more of the sky away.

Fields full of wind fans, stark gray space suits with air supply to and from work, weekly medical exams... All stop gaps from The Alliance with help from Deadwood's tradeswomen and tradesmen.

Wash was born in the year 2490.

As more years came and went... Most folks on Deadwood got so used to the radiation that they forgot what space was really like beyond their planet's atmo.

They didn't leave because most of them thought the rest of space was deadlier radiation. Just about everyone else stayed to pitch in and help their families just to survive.

Minor sunburns even with sunscreen, bony hands, and violent coughing were becoming all too common.

Men and women that were in their forties to fifties were soon wearing stark gray lined prescription glasses. The typical age for folks with prescription glasses and not reading glasses in the Verse is eighty.

News waves over the Cortex even showed firsthand planets full of clean or mostly clean air. Yet, folks on Deadwood saw it as just "fantasy aimed from yonder to conjure up pleasantness until that fateful day comes when fantasy becomes real".

But, Wash... He never believed that it was just fantasy.

Wash had quite a imagination. He saved up credits just to buy toy shuttles, random Rim and Border planet folk action figures, and Alliance Commander action figures to play with.

Ethen Washburn, Wash's dad, was always smiling whenever he saw him playing with his action figures.

He had medium black hair with some gray streaks. He wore blue overalls with green splotches.

He was coughing violently some every time he came to their slowly rotting house.

He was a house fixer...rebuilding sections of decaying houses in his corner of Deadwood before they completely gave way before the radiation.

He was overworked like all the others.

When he came home, he had to nap for several hours before he could walk again.

Wash's mother always tended for him, helping him to his bed to nap.

She was a homemaker...because keeping their own house together and rebuilding sections of it to protect them from the radiation was hard enough without a more official job as it is.

The paint on the house had long peeled away. But, light bluish lines remained as glimmers of sunshine past.

Wash as a young kid kept running off to try to find a good glimpse of the fabled stars. But, the air in his space suit's air tank never let him get much far.

Half the time, his parents didn't even seem to see him. They were like distant grumpy shadows.

Wash was teased mercilessly at school for recalling "stars are still out there".

Even in the beginning of the Unification War, most folks on Deadwood stayed under the cloak of radiation.

The Alliance never attacked them, and they never realized why they wanted to stay so much.

The Independents and Browncoats began to think Deadwood was just a myth to scare children, and they had their hands too full with fighting The Alliance to check if Deadwood was real after all.

Wash went to flight school.

The only reason Deadwood kept their flight schools was for stunt flying. But, that's not all of what Wash came there for.

He wanted to "be a pretty damn good pilot against hell" and see what's really out there to prove "it's worth every piece of fuss the Alliance makes it out to be".

He graduated when he was about to be 18 years old.

Then... It was the year 2508.

After delivering a final verdict for a trial with Blue Sun, The Alliance finally found out why for the radiation.

Twin Genradiation power plants in a corner of Deadwood sprung a small leak.

It was after second stage testing.

They looked like towering missile silos with reddish and bluish diagonal lines across. But, no missiles were inside them.

Inside... They had very dark green Genradiation sitting and moving out back and forth in giant boiler like rustic gray metal chambers, a grid of lights styled rustic vents for controlling the Genradiation flow, a built in heating system that can go up to boiling hot inside any one vent to break Genradiation down into radiated steam, a steam turbine styled accumulative radiation turbine built inside every vent, and a built in Alliance vacuuming system with vent ceiling plates that can suck out lingering Genradiation into a giant boiler like chamber that can become a furnace and burn away any Genradiation left.

The Genradiation power plants also had very light tan yellow walls, yellow to dark red switches sideways and forward at the controls, four upper level stark gray decks with metal railing around the giant boiler like chambers, and light green stations with metal railing along the top front edge.

These power plants were atmospheric processing plants that run on extremely dangerous radiation. But, theoretically...they could generate enough atmospheric processing speed to make any planet or any moon good for terraforming in decades.

A somewhat failed terraforming attempt on a Rim planet or Border planet, terraforming a gas giant planet into a water planet... A Genradiation power plant could do it all.

The Alliance saw Genradiation Plants as the key to make up for past mistakes in terraforming the Rim and Border planets...and possibly persuade away any resistance left against The Alliance with a lot more credits and richer resources.

That was before the Unification War.

But, even in the midst of war, the very idea of persuading away any resistance left still seemed very tempting to The Alliance for later negotiations.

The Alliance never thought to even look at the twin Genradiation power plants on Deadwood, because it seemed to still be working well at the time under Blue Sun. At least...that's what the official inspection papers seemed to say from Blue Sun.

The Alliance called for evacuation across every dedicated Source Box on Deadwood.

But, by then... What little ozone and rich soil was left was burned away.

The dead woods caught flames. They burned right through the very soil.

The fire and smoke was cloaking the whole planet...melting it away into a lifeless giant asteroid.

Flashes of burning bodies going by. Their cries and screams filled the howl of the greenish hurricanes.

Every momma, brother, and sister tried to get to the transport ships in time. But...the transport ships instantly caught fire.

Only a few pilots and passengers could get to the shuttles on the sides of the transport ships to escape.

They had to out fly the incoming flames and fast.

Fortunately, The Alliance had Tohoku class ships around in time to rescue the shuttles.

But... It wasn't long before Wash and the handful of other survivors learned of Blue Sun's grave mistake.

Like them... He was breaking down sobbing by himself in his temporary home.

It was a stark gray guest bedroom.

But, on that same day... He was looking over his rustic brownish looking toy shuttle.

The only toy he felt like grabbing in a hurry when Deadwood's atmo died.

And, in spite of the teariness in his eyes... He very faintly smiled.

For, in the days of the Unification War...he found the one thing that could keep him going.

Presently...

Looking down... Wash moderately sighs.

Kind of just as quickly... He looks up.

Kind of reluctant sounding... He figures, "fine. A little worse."

Mal very faintly chuckles.

With a faint smirk... He concludes, "yeah. I reckon you would think it would."

After a bit... Wash can't help but ask, "you...you really think there is no way Mal?"

There's a brief nerve wracking silence.

Mal nervously gulps.

Mal voices, "not without one of us dyin' out doin' it. You all are a part of my crew. Faint sniffle. Gorram. Sniffle. Wash: I ain't want another part of my crew dyin' out on me!"

He gets choked up. But...he's looking down so as to not completely give that away to him.

Looking fairly shook... Wash realizes, "ohh. Right. I...I almost forgot. Sorry Mal. I... Hard sniffle. I just..."

Some tears fall from his face.

Then... Mal puts a comforting hand on Wash's upper arm.

Mal concludes, "I understand, Wash. Hard sniffle. Blue Sun most like to winnin' this time is hard on us. Now... Hard sniffle. You get back with Zoe so you can get us back in the air. Dong ma?"

Wash looks fairly stunned.

* * *

 _Act II_

Wash admits outright, "I...I thought you weren't lettin' me and Zoe go to Lazarus."

Mal pulls away his hand.

He starts to say, "well..."

He heavily sighs.

After a bit... He highlights, "...some things you ought to see for yourself. And, much as I would like to stop the Genradation plants as your self would... Hard sniffle. Yeah. We ain't always mighty. Could help you find some peace knowin' you thought all you could for these people and you still could not. The wavecaster Ident cards have been set up through Inara's friend and her self already anyhow."

Wash very faintly laughs.

He somewhat lightly sighs.

Kind of sarcastically... Wash comments, "yeah. Thanks."

Mal adds, "you're welcome."

And... They very faintly smile knowingly to each other.

Several hours later...

It's mid-day.

Wash lands the shuttle along one of the shorelines of Lazarus.

Soon, he and Zoe come out.

Zoe wears a tan brown sweater and no overcoat for her disguise. But, she still has her custom made rifle close by her hand.

Wash is wearing a mostly light blue sweater for his disguise.

They very faintly smile to each other.

Then... They start to make their way up a kind of rocky part of shoreline.

Not long after...

They come into a waiting room.

There's kind of blocky and pale tan stone tablet like pillars and walls with Greek, Roman, and biblical inscriptions all over them. The floor is made up of planks made of metals mixed with mostly volcanic soil.

There's some black and white fancy leather chairs.

There's a tanish black front desk with a light green countertop. A gold computer monitor is on top of it.

A receptionist with frontless very dark brown medium hair is there.

Her name is Lilly Sterling. She has a bluish white business suit.

Sounding awkward... Wash says, "hey. Umm...we haven't been to Lazarus before. Might you be able to help us?"

Lilly kind of nervously looks at them.

She starts to conclude, "I'm sorry. But...but, without some idea of what kind of appointment you're making..."

Zoe faintly annoyedly rolls her eyes.

Zoe tells the receptionist, "we're wavecasters. Straight from senior secondary graduation out on the Rim."

She holds up her's and Wash's wavecaster Ident cards for her.

Lilly very faintly smiles.

She lightly remarks, "ohh. Faint chuckle. You really are straight out of graduation."

With a tense look... Zoe presses, "sorry. But, we don't see much funny about this."

Wash looks amused.

Wash comments, "speak for yourself. She might be straight out of..."

Zoe gives him a slight warning glare.

Wash gulps nervously. He quickly goes, "shutting up now."

He looks down nervously some.

With a faint smile... Zoe adds, "thank you dear."

Lilly moderately sighs to herself.

Then... She concludes, "well...that's different. You must have been the two who answered our want ad."

Kind of nervous... Wash says, "yes! Yes, we are them. Yes."

Zoe finds it hard to stifle a laugh.

She faintly smiles in amusement.

Lilly very faintly chuckles.

She briefly claps her hands.

She points out, "okay. Well...Mister Reid is down two doors to your right. I'll let him know you're here."

She points out some metallic doors at the doors part. They're down a slightly winding left hall.

Then... Lilly opens a private line through the Cortex on the computer monitor.

On the screen... There's a man in his mid-twenties with medium black hair.

He wears a bluish black business suit and white tie. He also wears a thin gold wreath on his head.

Lilly reports, "Mister Reid...the new wavecasters are here."

Mister Reid very faintly sighs. He adds, "good. Good. They can come in."

Not long after...

Zoe and Wash are sitting in black and white leather chairs. Mister Reid is sitting opposite them in one of the chairs himself.

They're in his study: With plenty of 3D printed book classics from across the Verse on the winding around bookshelves.

Mister Reid tells them, "the Source Boxes are already ready for you."

Coldly... Zoe comments, "sure they will."

Kind of nervous still... Wash comments, "yeah. Thanks."

Mister Reid considers out loud, "your records are clean. But... Hm."

Slightly glaring... Wash declares, "I knew it! I knew it. There just had to be a but comin'."

He briefly points his finger up.

Somewhat stoic... Zoe tries to assure, "it don't have to be bad as you are thinkin'."

She's holding Wash's hand as she does.

Wash figures, "maybe."

He kind of coldly looks back toward Mister Reid.

Mister Reid leans back a little in his chair.

He has his hands folded up.

He considers, "hm. I take it you aren't completely impartial to the opening of the Genradiation power plants."

Wash mutters, "no sir."

Mister Reid very faintly laughs.

He says, "that's okay. You've just graduated. You still have some trouble stirring in you."

Wash gets teary eyed. He faintly sniffles.

He kind of murmurs, "I just... Faint sniffle. I just don't see it not blowing up. You know?"

Some tears fall from his face.

He continues on, "but then what do I know?! We're only wavecasters. Faint sniffle. No sir! Faint sniffle. Can't be with emotions flying in the lens. Gets dreadful messy."

Mister Reid puts down his hands by his side.

He deeply sighs.

Solemn sounding... Mister Reid regards, "most folks on Lazarus wouldn't want the lens to get messy. But, that don't mean you can't speak out. Very faint laugh. That's more than we can say for some corners of the Verse. Long as you're not following through with threats at The Alliance, they leave you alone here."

Wash and Zoe very faintly sigh in partial relief.

Zoe concludes, "we appreciate the sentiment, mister."

Mister Reid adds, "yes. That's good."

Wash is quick to ask, "and if the test results for the Genradiation plants are pretty bad?"

Mister Reid very faintly smiles.

Wash gulps nervously.

Zoe's glare was boring hard into Mister Reid's eyes.

Mister Reid's smile quickly fades.

A little teary eyed... He tries to assure, "qǐng liánmǐn. I...I meant no bad implication. Please!"

He gulps nervously.

Zoe's glare softens some. But, she's still slightly glaring.

For a second, Wash looks a little amused at Mister Reid's nervousness.

After a bit... The room got less tense.

Mister Reid considers, "primary testing was made on the plants. Lazarus MPs inspected the plant turbines in person. It all came up good. They plan to inspect again once the shipment comes in. I would call it fairly good."

With a very faint laugh... Wash points out, "yeah. I...I'm hoping to God there won't be a leak. Thanks."

With a very faint smile... Mister Reid sincerely adds, "you're welcome James Regan."

Zoe inquires, "what about you?"

Mister Reid admits, "I hope for that too, Svetlana Regan. But, The Alliance seems to have learned from their grave mistake. Sniffle. A tragedy what happened to Deadwood."

Zoe says, "thank you, Reid."

Teary eyed... Wash says, "thank you. It was real...really painful to hear."

They both look solemnly at him.

Mister Reid very faintly nods.

He deeply sighs.

He takes out a few tissues from his pockets.

He wipes some tears from his face.

After a bit... He puts down the tissues to the side on his chair.

Mister Reid apologizes, "sorry if this is too personal a question, James. But, as the director of the Ministry of the Lazarus Wavecasters, I feel obligated to ask."

Almost at the same time... Zoe and Wash just say, "all right."

Mister Reid turns to Wash.

And... He asks, "you think you can keep your emotions in control fer your first day as a wavecaster?"

Wash heavily sighs some.

He finds it hard to look up.

A few tears fall. He sniffles hard.

But, just as quickly... Wash looks up.

He tries to assure, "yeah. Yeah. I...I think so. My wife keeps me from flying too off course. This is just another course around hell for us."

With a slight glare... Mister Reid, "I'll try not to take that personally."

Acting somewhat nervous... Zoe goes, "ohh. We...we meant in our lives. No personal offense mister."

She cups her hand over her mouth at the first part.

Mister Reid concludes, "thank you. I'm sure you didn't."

He very faintly smiles.

Zoe and Wash also very faintly smile...albeit for very different reasons than his.

Not very long ago...

Across every done cheap central news thinbox... Across every source box... A ad comes up.

A dark red parchment styled backdrop appears with big dark blue stony letters.

It zooms out to be smaller letters: In English, Greek, and Chinese.

It says, "Genradiation: Generating good Verse wide atmo for a new Gen."

A Greek-Roman sword makes the horizontal line of the first G. But, the Gen part at the end is done in sparkly green letters.

Some air bubbles come out left and right of the ad.

Then... A picture appears: Of twin Genradiation plants on a shoreline of Lazarus.

They're fully built now.

On Chinese, Greek, and dubbed in English audio tracks... A unseen announcer says, "we got it right this time. This time...this time..."

After a bit... He continues, "...because you trust The Alliance to do good for all. Right?"

The picture of Genradiation plants disappears.

A Alliance flag appears in its place.

There's "right?" across the backdrop in big dark blue stony letters: Also in English, Greek, and Chinese.

The announcer continues, "Border and Rim planet governments, preorder your Genradiation plants. And, we'll offer to you these one time offer Alliance pardons for any outlaw of your choice..."

He whispers, "...that isn't River or Simon Tam."

That last part appears in much smaller letters.

Black and white cards of Alliance want ads are kind of quickly tossed left and right by a clearly CGI rendered hand.

They're of Zoe, Jayne, Saffron, Kaylee, Wash, Larissa Kianto with big burns and a red question mark over her face, Morin with a red question mark and big burns over his face...and Simon and River with a red X over them.

The announcer considers, "yes: Maybe even this guy if you really really want."

The CGI rendered hand tosses up a Alliance want ad of Malcolm Reynolds.

The announcer continues, "but, remember: Only one for a government. Let's not get "too" greedy."

Just as quickly... All the cards and the CGI rendered hand disappear.

On screen... It cuts back to the beginning.

All too happily... The announcer repeats off, "Genradiation: Generating good Verse wide atmo for a new Gen."

Then... On screen... It all disappears.

Some long black small print appears on screen in the right corner, above a Blue Sun logo.

With a rounded tone... Another announcer's voice reads off, "this advertisement was brought to you by the Blue Sun Corporation in direct cooperation with The Alliance."

Not very long after, back on Lazarus...

From the forests to the edges of volcanoes and coastlines... Wash is talking to some of the local folk.

But, Wash brought no dedicated Source Box with him.

First... There's a woman in eighties with medium slightly curly gray hair.

Her name is Levine Mills.

She walks with a studded metal stone walking stick. She wears glasses, and very dark blue silk robes with little red and pink swirls on them.

Wash asks, "what do you think of Genradiation coming back?"

Levine heavily sighs. She coughs hard some.

But, before Wash can say something... She puts a kind of assuring hand up.

Levine voices, "I don't think letting fire come right back is the answer. Hard cough. Genradiation is not the future: It's tā mā de gāisǐ, hands down."

With a wide smirk... Wash remarks, "wow. That bias really wasn't rehearsed at all. I like that."

Levine very faintly smiles.

She says, "you're welcome young'n."

Second... There's a man in his thirties with very short frontless black hair.

His name is Dario McAllister.

He wears a white sweater and dark green dress pants.

Wash asks, "what do you think of Genradiation coming back?"

Dario thinks out loud, "well... If they can really do it this time..."

Wash kind of presses, "yeah?"

With a smile... Dario replies, "then by god, yes: I'm for it. Everyone likes to breathe clean air and have more oases and restaurants in the desert. Right?"

Wash very faintly chuckles.

With a faint smile... He concludes, "oh. Yeah. There's a lot of those on the Border planets. You ain't alone on that one."

Dario faintly chuckles. He adds, "thanks."

With a slightly cold tone... Wash adds back, "don't mention it."

Third... There's a teenage woman with long very dark brown hair.

Her name is Rhodia Patrick. She wears a red and pale green swirled Chinese silk dress.

Wash asks, "what do you think of Genradiation coming back?"

Rhodia gives him a nervous look.

She twiddles her fingers together.

She starts to say, "well..."

Sounding nervous himself... Wash asks, "yeah?"

There's a brief nervous silence.

A little teary eyed... Rhodia voices, "God doesn't seem to be punishing us. We're not turning into green melting DNA water sacks, and they tested their turbines before putting it all up together. Very faint nervous chuckle. Sorry. I know they really should have done better before. But, why not have them try one more time?"

Wash looks very nervous and awkward with it all.

He comments, "umm...you just described my dinner from last night."

Rhodia gets wide eyed.

She gasps in nervousness.

She apologizes, "I'm sorry James. Can...can I buy you a drink, or...?"

Wash briefly puts up his hands.

With a very faint smile... He mostly assures, "no. But, really. Thank you."

Rhodia faintly sighs in relief.

She adds, "you're welcome."

Wash lightly remarks, "'sides, I might come back for it later."

Rhodia faintly giggles.

Just as quickly... And, with a smirk... She says, "okay."

And, fourth... There's a teenage guy with parted medium black hair and matching stubble.

His name is Vince Shannon. He wears a mostly white school uniform with a collar and light red and dark blue plaid, a dark blue leather overcoat, and very dark blue dress pants.

Wash asks, "what do you think of Genradiation coming back?"

Vince mutters, "screw The Alliance in the *****. The Alliance never listens to us kids!"

He points his middle finger out and up.

Wash laughs hard some.

With a glare... Vince mutters, "this isn't funny."

Wash catches his breath.

He mostly assures, "sorry. I...it's not really. I just wasn't expectin' that out here."

Vince very faintly smirks.

Wash remarks, "and I definitely approve this message. But, don't tell anyone."

Vince laughs hard. He lightly comments, "that...that's a good one."

Wash adds, "thanks kid."

Vince adds, "sure."

He gulps nervously some.

Wash starts to ask, "what's wrong with...?"

Vince kind of quickly goes on, "and I'm not just biased because I just got detention from boarding school for going a-skippin' out with a lovely girl named Maria. No. I'm "not biased" at all."

Kind of sarcastic... Wash figures, "right. Not at all."

Kind of sarcastic... Vince figures, "no. None at all."

Then... He realizes, "I should go."

He suddenly notices a incoming AATS and a team of Alliance MPs coming up a volcano's edge.

Vince starts breaking into a run down the other side of the volcano's base.

Wash calls back, "hey! Good luck, Vince."

With a wide smirk... Vince calls back, "thanks!"

Then... Wash is suddenly whistling loudly to himself and looking the other way while Alliance MPs run right past him.

A few hours later...

The protostar is setting over Lazarus.

Some big white tarps with diagonal blue lines down them are being pulled up by many a pulley.

The twin Genradiation plants tower like giant seeds before the heavens: All shiny new and polished.

A crowd of hundreds of thousands of folk and Alliance MPs are gathered around the shoreline.

They're gazing up in silent admiration. Yet, there's a lot of mixed murmurs as well.

And, Zoe and Wash are wavecasting it all with black Alliance dedicated Source Boxes.

They're both teary eyed.

But...their hard sniffles are all too easily edited out of the wave by The Alliance.

Meanwhile... Hundreds of thousands of folk are in their houses.

Most of them are bent over over their sheepskin and lion skin rugs, praying for a miracle.

Others have taken to protesting over the Cortex...only for Blue Sun and The Alliance to kind of quickly cut off all active waves for Lazarus until the grand opening is over.

A hour later, back in the shuttle...

Over the shuttle's main screen... Wash has just replayed the brief protests footage.

It was kind of quick to transfer over: Because Zoe and Wash used the dedicated Source Boxes they borrowed to record any and all waves direct from the Ministry of Lazarus Wavecasters before said waves could be cut off.

Tensely... And, teary eyed... Wash voices, "qīn'ài de shàngdì zhī mǔ! Look at them, Zoe! Most folk are too afraid to come out and fight for their planet! Hard sniffle. How...how the hell can I...?"

He points out to the screen with his arm out on the first part.

Then... Zoe suddenly pulls him closer.

Fairly confused... Wash asks, "Zoe?"

A little teary eyed herself... Zoe brings up, "damn straight it hard on you and me. Sniffle. But...you want to know first hand how I can still hold the line?"

Wash very faintly chuckles. He just says, "okay."

A second later... Zoe is wrapping her arms around him.

She makes out with him.

Wash hugs her back.

They both faintly groan in pleasure.

Then, as quickly as it comes... Zoe pulls away.

Awkwardly now... Wash wonders, "what...? Very faint laugh. I'm not against you kissing me. But, what was that for?"

They very faintly smile at each other.

Zoe puts a sympathetic hand on his arm.

And... Zoe highlights, "a not real hard dose of reality. They had made out their choices. Now, it's your choice. You stayin' to be the only one gettin' arrested on Lazarus 'cause of the Genradiation shipment coming in, or are you coming back to reality?"

Wash very nervously faintly laughs.

He finds it hard to look up all of a sudden.

After a bit... He looks up again.

He tries to assure, "I...I'm coming back. Just..."

Zoe's face hardens.

She cuttingly remarks, "that don't sound like it's just something, dear. It's always something."

Wash puts his arms up.

And... He goes all defensive, "hey! I'm kind of taking offense to that."

With a faintly raised eyebrow... Zoe challenges outright, "and am I wrong?"

Sounding kind of mixed up... Wash says, "yeah. No! I mean... Can I least get out of this without the cold shoulder?"

He heavily sighs as he puts his arms down.

With a faint smile... Zoe faintly remarks, "there's time all right. But, I'd already talked to the damn point."

Wash moderately sighs. He concludes, "yeah. Fair point."

Zoe adds, "thank you."

Somewhat nervous... Wash suggests, "can...can I at least have a hour for a last good gorram look at all the scenery 'fore we might not get to see it again 'cause of Blue Sun?"

Dead serious... Zoe addresses him, "all right. Faint sniffle. But, you better be back for me."

Somewhat sarcastic... Wash assures, "You're my wife 'till a gate of hell opens. I'm not leaving you to get shot alone."

Zoe laughs hard some. Wash laughs as well.

They make out some: With their arms wrapped around each other just as quickly.

Then... Wash slowly but surely begins to walk out of the shuttle.

He kind of cautiously walks around some big rocks on the shoreline.

A cold angry look comes over his face.

And... He's thinking to himself:

 _I'm really sorry, my beautiful wife. I'm madly in love with you. But..._

 _Heavy sigh. Hard sniffle._

 _I will die if it means to leave Genradiation dead out in space._

 _Because...because I'm not going to let this planet just burn up because I did nothing!_

 _Hard sniffle!_

 _It was not really much a good gorram choice for me or my family out on Deadwood. It's not really much a good gorram choice for 'em folks out here._

Meanwhile, back on Serenity...

With a glare... Jayne mutters under his breath, "gorramit Mal. I hate this plan!"

He's dressed up in a cloth sewn costume of a Alliance Intelligence officer's black uniform.

Mal and him are standing off by the metal stairs by the infirmary.

Simon is dressed up in a matching costume and holding a stage prop of a sonic rifle.

He's walking around the bunks as though he's on patrol.

At a near whisper... Mal cuttingly reminds him, "do you want her killing us in our sleep?"

Sounding real irritated... Jayne mutters, "no."

With a very faint smirk... Mal figures, "wasn't thinkin' so. It ain't long now anyhow."

Jayne starts to ask, "what are you going on...ab..ou...?"

Suddenly... He falls unconscious.

There's a loud thud.

Mal very faintly laughs knowingly. He concludes, "good thinking, doctor."

Soon... Simon fast walks for the metal stairs.

He calls out, "whoever you are, I'm not playing games! Hands where I can...!"

Mal punches him down...knocking the wind out of him.

Simon is lying on the floor, coughing hard.

Mal apologizes, "sorry. Had to have it sound real to her. 'sides, you can patch yourself up."

After a bit... Simon comments, "I understand. But... Hard cough! But, you're still psychotic."

Mal faintly chuckles.

Then... He calls out, "River? River!"

River groans hard some.

The mental images in her mind are fluctuating rapidly...from cold metal rooms to the more welcoming metal from Serenity.

Teary eyed... River calls out, "Mal? Really you? What's really...? Where am...?!"

Mal opens the door to her bunk.

He offers a hand out to her.

Mal very faintly smiles.

And... He tells her, "it's okay now. I am still the captain. We're getting you out of here."

After a bit... River greatly sighs in relief.

She says, "Mal. Came to save me."

She hugs him tight. Mal hugs her back some.

But, just as quickly... Mal presses, "yes. But, River, we... River, we got to go 'fore Hands of Blue come."

River deeply sighs. But, she very faintly nods.

She concludes, "all right. Not all right yet. Sniffle. But, I'll follow."

Mal leads River out by the hand.

They fast walk around the ship over and over.

Then... River smiles wide.

They've reached the engine room.

River sees the engine room, the galley, the cargo hold... Now all of Serenity clearly all over again in her mind.

Sounding better already... River says, "Serenity. The ship. We're really back?"

Mal mostly assures, "we are, little one. We are."

They hug each other tight.

And, from the doorway to the engine room... Kaylee stands there...smiling wide knowingly.

Roughly a half hour later, back on Dora...

Wash is being escorted out of a docked Tohoku class city ship. But, interestingly...no one is handcuffing him.

One of the Alliance MPs checks, "and your source said he or she will contact you on Dora for this tip on Kalliav Niska?"

Sounding all too casual... Wash says, "yes. Exactly. Faint nervous laugh. Damn crazy, right?"

Coldly... The Alliance MP comments, "a lot of outlaws are. Let's just get this done."

Wash gulps nervously. He adds, "right. Right. Good straightforward not that crazy plan."

The Alliance MP just deeply sighs.

Then... A kind of loud dinging like chone is heard from one of the Cortex screens.

Wash is led to it by two Alliance MPs.

Heavy static comes from the live feed.

A silhouette is seen by some faint shadows of file cabinets.

A unnatural very deep and rugged voice breaks through, "good James. You...came...as I asked. The credits are...being sent over...to your bank account as we speak."

Getting teary eyed... Wash gulps real nervously.

He says, "thank you intimidating shadow man. Looks like we can do...business."

A notification window appears on the Cortex with a stark silver rimmed mostly reddish brown rim.

A Alliance bank account number is across it.

And, under it... There's this notification:

Do you want to open your bank account? Yes or No?

After a bit... Wash clicks on the Yes button.

A login screen shows up.

Wash looks at the letter keys on screen, kind of facing away from the Alliance MPs.

He's hiding a smile from them.

Wash has convinced someone at a Lazarus government facility with a second level clearance to back him up for his plan as a anonymous source: Someone who also really doesn't want the Genradiation plants to be there.

And since he or she would use the same corner of the Cortex the Lazarus government regularly uses, The Alliance military would at first glance think further contact with this mystery tipper like this was already authorized by The Alliance.

The bank account number Wash just mentally took note of isn't really a bank account number.

He enters the password.

And, in English and Chinese... A computer voice says:

Manual override accepted.

One of two Alliance MPs mutters, "James Regan...you are hereby bound by law!"

They both grab Wash from behind.

Wash moderately groans some under their grips.

A third Alliance MP rushes over to the Cortex screen to check it over.

All the other Alliance MPs are drawing out their military rifles.

But, a second earlier... Wash already pressed a few buttons.

Both doors of one of the airlocks opens.

A automated warning goes off:

Warning. Life support failure imminent. Check control room oxygen levels at once.

Wash laughs. He calls out, "chur ni-duh!"

Alliance MPs start flying out toward the open airlock and the black of space.

They're screaming and shouting like mad.

But... Most of them fully put on their air tanks and gas masks so they can breathe.

Soon, they're all grabbing onto each other and anchoring themselves in the center of the control room.

The Alliance MPs restraining Wash very soon start passing out due to lack of oxygen.

They land on the floor with a thud.

Wash slips out of their grips.

He grabs off one of their air tanks and masks.

And, as he very loudly gasps for air... He puts them on.

Wash takes in the air in great relief.

Then... The third Alliance MP charges angrily for him.

But, with very little gravity in the way... Wash violently rams a fallen air tank right into his armored chest.

The Alliance MP doubles over, coughing violently.

His reactive grip on the control panel is slipping.

Wash quickly picks up his fallen military rifle.

He kind of gloats, "no. You're not dying. Faint laugh. Here's something much worse to wake up to in the morning."

And, with loud choos... He shoots out in to every air tank on the Alliance MPs's backs.

Some that weren't in the center were about to fire their military rifles with their free arms.

But, now... All of them are gasping for air.

In a matter of seconds... They all pass out.

They all start sliding fast for the open airlock.

But, just then... Wash quickly presses some buttons.

The airlock doors close.

Auxiliary life support and emergency red lights kick in.

Wash takes off the air tank and gas mask he's wearing.

He laughs loudly. He goes, "yeah! A real shiny job."

But, suddenly... He looks very troubled.

He can't help but think back to Zoe, Mal...and everyone else on Serenity.

He takes a heavy breath.

He's about to go back to the controls...when he hears a very familiar voice.

Cuttingly... Zoe remarks, "shiny 'nough to almost take out my breathin'. And, it ain't not more than my breathing, Wash."

She's back to wearing her overcoat. No more sweater.

She pulls off a air tank and gas mask she stole from one of the Alliance MPs.

It hits the floor with a loud chime.

Just as quickly... Zoe has her custom made rifle aimed right at Wash.

Wash kind of slowly turns around to face her.

He nervously chuckles a little.

Then... He says, "Zoe. Hey. I'm...I'm really sorry. I didn't know you followed me."

With a faint smile... Zoe adds, "I'll live."

With a faint smile... Wash adds, "that's good."

But... Wash's faint smile quickly fades.

He suddenly points up.

He realizes, 'oh wait. This is bad. Qīn'ài de shàngdì zhī mǔ: Why are you pointing your gun at me?!"

* * *

 _Act III_

Zoe straight out admits, "yeah. Well... Hard sniffle. I really am hopin' I don't have to."

She lowers her custom made rifle.

But... She keeps a grip on it with both hands.

Wash's expression softens.

He asks in concern, "lambie-toes...what's wrong?"

Zoe gulps very nervously.

But, just as quickly... She pinpoints, "see for yourself on the scanner readings. You got too good: The Alliance has you and your new government friend humped."

She presses some buttons on and off the Cortex screen before them.

The screen cuts over to the Genradiation transport ship. It's a metallic crate styled mostly very dark green transport ship, with tan brown lined stark gray engines.

Two Tohoku Class ships are around it. They're all coming within range of Dora.

Wash looks shook.

Zoe starts to tell him, "I hate to say something else awful terrible. But..."

Wash pushes back, "don't spare me. Just tell me: What?!"

He puts his arms out as he does.

Zoe heavily sighs. She continues, "you don't really want to do this Wash. Hard sniffle. I know what it seem like. But..."

With a glare... Wash concludes, "oh, no. I know what this is. You don't trust me now?!"

Zoe is getting it all out, "it still better than murdering innocent passengers on those Tohoku Class ships. Honey, you... You take that shot, and even if it hit true... Hard sniffle! You will hate yourself more'n the captain. Like...like I near did with the Dust Devils. Hard sniffle. I'm real sorry. But, you... Hard sniffle! You know damn straight I'm right. That right?"

Wash heavily sighs. He sniffles hard.

He struggles to continue directly facing the screen.

He ends up looking down and shaking like crazy.

Wash practically shouts, "but...but The Alliance will burn out the whole damn planet!"

Tears are falling from his face like a storm. Some silent tears fall from Zoe's face.

Zoe highlights, "maybe. I... Hard sniffle! I ain't crazy of the idea myself. But, it's their legal valley they made for themselves. And, that's what near all of them want. Hard sniffle! 'sides...I think makin' that shot is too damn close: Even for you. The Alliance has send those ships to protect the Genradiation. But... Hard sniffle. You got to make the choice for yourself. Now...what's it to be?"

And... She very reluctantly gets her custom made rifle aimed again at Wash.

Wash directly faces the screen again.

Some more tears fall as he stands there.

Wash starts to reach for the lever to start taking aim at the ships.

Plasma projectiles are drawn and ready to fire within the military facility's gun turrets.

A few seconds later... Wash bends over himself.

His arm moves back away as well.

And... He breaks down sobbing.

After a bit... Wash murmurs, "oh dear god. Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! What was...what was I going to do?"

More sobs and tears.

Zoe puts away her custom made rifle.

She heavily sighs in mixed relief.

Zoe mostly assures, "awful relieved you ain't doin' it. Hard sniffle. Near thought I had to kill you for it to sit right with me and the captain."

Wash doesn't say anything. He just very faintly sighs in very mixed relief.

Zoe hugs him close from behind.

Wash starts to slowly but surely stop crying.

Then... Two squadrons of military issue ASREVs come out from the two Tohoku class ships.

They're firing all the missiles and autocannons they got.

The Alliance was expecting more of a fight from the commandeered military facility.

But, with the facility running on auxiliary power only...the shots hit the military facility hard.

A chain reaction of explosions from sitting plasma projectiles goes off across the whole facility.

Electric sparks dance all over the control panels. Screens explode in brilliant flashes of light.

The ceiling starts to completely collapse in bursts of smoke and burning charred debris.

Zoe sharply dives down to the side to get out of the way of incoming debris.

She takes Wash down to the side with her.

Zoe coughs hard some. Wash groans violently.

Some sharp pieces of charred debris have pierced Wash's side.

Some dark red liquid is dripping from his side.

Seeming completely unphased... Zoe figures, "it don't matter if you hate me. I'm still carryin' you."

She helps Wash back up to his feet, holding him up by his side.

With nothing else on hand to make a cast with... Zoe's glove is over Wash's injury.

Dark red liquid starts to seep into the inside of her glove.

Wash kind of shakily walks alongside Zoe, struggling to keep up.

Wash violently groans.

But... They clear the airlock to the nearest docking bay.

They kind of fast walk into one of the military issue ASREVs.

Zoe takes off her glove so Wash can keep it tucked over his wound under his sweater well enough.

Wash is strapped in the pilot seat. Zoe is sitting right next to him in the co-pilot seat.

Wash spin flies the ASREV out of the docking bay...just as it goes up in a big blaze of fire from behind them.

The wing of the ASREV is burning from the inside out in space. Burnt parts are flying off like crazy.

Wash slightly turns to Zoe.

And... With sincerity... He tells her, "Zoe, I... Violent groan. I could never hate you."

Zoe faintly smiles knowingly. Wash faintly smiles back.

It's nightfall over Lazarus. The stars are bright out.

Wash takes the ASREV down for a crash landing...right into the side of a volcano.

A blaze of fire goes off.

Lava flows and bubbles around the then collapsing in part of volcano.

But, just as quickly... Zoe is jumping down for forest land below...carrying Wash in her arms.

Several hours later, back on Serenity...

It's late at night.

Zoe is standing in front of the open door to Mal's bunk.

Confused... Mal asks, "Zoe, why...why ain't you down in the infirmary?"

Zoe very faintly smirks.

She explains, "I will be. But, he's holdin' out good enough to still walk...and I wanted to come by and see how the play for getting River back killed or didn't kill you sir."

Mal faintly laughs.

He moderately sighs.

With a wide smile... He admits, "well, I... I'm more exhausted than I'd like. But, we ain't corpsified soon none. Wash seems still well enough to fly. River is back good enough. We still flying."

With a wide grin... Zoe adds, "good to hear, sir. I'm going to check on my husband."

Mal figures, "yeah. Sounds good. You do that."

Zoe very faintly rolls her eyes in amusement.

She's already walking through the galley and toward the infirmary.

Mal very faintly chuckles to himself.

He moderately sighs.

Then... He can't help but remember when Inara was about to board her shuttle and really leave Serenity.

This is what she told him:

You know she's always been your first mate...before the Dust Devils really complicated things.

Mal. She might be the only one who can handle that side of you...

Hard sniffle.

...that side of you better than I could ever hope to.

I'm not asking you to tell her your secret. Just...

Deep sigh.

You...you should at least tell her what I said.

Mal gets teary eyed. He sniffles hard some.

Then... He goes back down to his bunk...closing the door behind him.

Right now, he doesn't want to think on that memory. He just wants to keep flying.


	18. S2, Ep 8: Not So Set in DNA

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Not So Set in DNA:

 _Teaser_

One day...

The Georgia star is glaringly bright out.

A dustbowl of a gas giant named Elphame. Several moons with western towns, mines, and mite pastures orbit around it.

One moon is Fiddler's Green. A second is Summerhouse.

For a moon like Summerhouse, most days are like summer: Few rules, scorching heat...and a lot of smoking guns.

Loud choos go off. Some loud bangs.

Zoe and Mal are running down a alley way, covering a guy in a brown overcoat from incoming fire.

He's running with them.

Mal has his shotgun out. Zoe has her custom made rifle out.

They're both wearing their usual garbs. But, sweat drips some from the sides of their faces.

Two guys with cowboy hats fall dead from shots from Mal's and Zoe's guns.

A little further out... Cattle are running off out of the left open pasture gate.

With most of the other gang having come around the gate, the first shots spooked them.

Several cowboys are on their horses, trying hard to herd the cattle back.

They mostly have light brown vests.

Back with Mal and Zoe... They're standing with their backs to the wooden walls in the alley.

They take a bit to check on the ammo in their guns. So does the fellow Browncoat with them.

Mal checks, "Zoe? Are we clear to the Flying Mule now?"

Zoe glances out some.

She comments, "damn right in a minute, sir. Nothing ain't clear back on the ship."

She looks shaken. But, in spite of the shots heard, she tries to sound happy.

More loud choos and bangs.

Out in the town square... Jayne is shooting at a gang of several figures in cowboy and cowgirl hats.

A gang of several figures with cowboy and cowgirl hats are shooting back at the other gang.

Jayne wears his tan brown T-shirt with four Cortex windows of blue tinted mercenary trading cards on it.

Most of the figures wear brown cowboy and cowgirl hats and dark blue to darkish brown vests.

Jayne has his Claridge LEC9 carbine with a optic mount and his SIG-Sauer P220 Sport pistol drawn out. Most of the figures have drawn out Bisley model Colt Single Action Army revolvers and some very dark brown rifles.

Two of them double over, clutching their dark red liquid dripping sides.

One of them doubles over, crashing through a wood porch.

Wood splinters fly.

The figure coughs violently, kind of bent over the ground.

But, just as fast... The same figure starts shooting again.

One of them tries to jump out of range of some incoming bullets. But, just as fast...the figure is shot dead in midair.

Hints of dark red liquid splatter across the edge of a storefront's roof and a roof support beam.

Mal's Flying Mule is sitting on the other side of the town square.

Light sounding... Mal shoots back, "well, what day ain't it been?"

The fellow Browncoat's name is Prichard Kahne. He faintly laughs to himself.

He has very dark blond messy slightly long hair with strands over his eyes.

He wears a light and dark brown checkered shirt, a brown cowboy hat, blue rimmed black boots, and sunglasses. He carries a pair of Bisley model Colt Single Action Army revolvers.

Zoe faintly nervously laughs. She points out, "more than just interesting least a month. You want me to tell you now?"

Mal very faintly smiles. Prichard faintly smirks.

Mal admits outright, "no. I ain't. But, it...it's still safe on Serenity, Zoe."

Zoe figures, "hope so, sir."

Mal faintly sighs. He figures, "yeah. You ain't the only one."

Zoe reports, "it's clear now, sir."

Mal concludes firmly, "good. Zoe, Prichard...let's get out of town!"

Prichard adds, "understood, Sarge."

All three of them are running for Mal's Flying Mule.

Five more cowboys and cowgirls are about to close in on the Flying Mule to take it for themselves.

Mal, Zoe, and Prichard fire at them from behind.

Some loud choos and a loud bang.

Two of them move quick enough to dive for cover, covering their heads on the ground.

Three figures fall to the ground.

They groan violently, clutching their dark red liquid dripping sides.

More loud choos and bangs.

Without even turning to the side... Zoe tells Prichard, "good luck tryin' to settle on Fiddler's Green, Prichard."

Prichard faintly laughs. He comments back, "right: If I live that long."

Jayne is groaning violently, clutching his dark red liquid dripping side.

He has dark red liquid dripping from three places down his side.

His vision is starting to blur.

But, in spite of that... He shoots dead one of the figures by the Flying Mule.

A loud choo.

Mal easily punches out the last one standing in front of the Flying Mule.

Zoe mostly assures, "we ain't intend on dyin' here, soldier."

Jayne coughs violently.

Suddenly... He starts to lose his balance.

Sounding calm... Mal tells him, "no. You ain't dyin' here Jayne. Not one of us."

He gets a grip around his side.

Jayne murmurs under his breath, "thanks."

Mal very faintly smiles to himself.

Prichard adds, "good."

Jayne keeps coughing violently.

Mal carries him most of the way to the Flying Mule.

He stifles some hard groans on account of how heavy he is.

Then... Jayne falls unconscious.

He and Prichard put him in the back of the Flying Mule.

They quickly get into the Flying Mule as well.

Eight cowboys and cowgirls on both sides are heading for them.

More loud choos and bangs.

No shots aimed at Mal, Zoe, and Prichard. At least...at the moment.

Mal is in the seat opposite of Zoe.

Mal orders, "Zoe...drop Prichard off on the way. He got his safe passage to get to, and we got to get Jayne to the doc."

Zoe is quick to say, "yes sir. Hang on."

Zoe steers the Flying Mule hard right down another alley way.

The Flying Mule speed charges through the wood walls in the alley way.

The wood splinters in a cloud of kicked up dust and wood.

Mal and Prichard reactively cover their heads.

But... The Flying Mule clears through the alley way.

There's only some scratches on it.

Mal and Prichard move their arms back down.

Mal, Prichard, and Zoe faintly laugh in mixed relief.

Prichard figures, "good luck to you and your crew, Sarge."

Mal concludes, "to be truthful, Prichard..."

He deeply sighs some.

He stops himself from what he was about to say on just depending on luck.

Mal finishes with another thought, "could use a dreadful lot of good right now ourselves."

Prichard just firmly nods a little. But, his smirk is gone.

Zoe speeds the Flying Mule on toward Serenity...across some stretch of desert land.

Not long before, in the engine room on Serenity...

Kaylee is lying back in her hammock...looking somberly out to Serenity's engine.

She is wearing her pink top with seashells, light blue baggy like jeans, and her matching open vest with a heart traced over it.

River tried to comfort her. But, it didn't seem to help much this time.

Some silent tears fall from Kaylee's face.

And... She is thinking to herself:

 _My daddy. He...he sent me a wave._

 _Heavy sigh._

 _Looks as though all of Glacier wants me back really badly._

 _Even wanting to get a Genradiation plant just to free me from my bounty from The Alliance._

 _Very faint chuckle._

 _Sure. It were really temptin'. What girl wouldn't get tempted by it?_

 _But...but, I couldn't just leave my Captain without a mechanic._

 _Got family here with my girl much as I do out there on my homeworld Glacier._

 _I gave my daddy some pointers to give to everyone._

 _On the other hand though, that did seem to kind of calm things out there._

 _But... Heavy sigh._

 _What happened to helpin' out other folks 'sides ourselves and soldier buds out in the Black?_

 _There much reason why we couldn't, all just cause of bounties on us?_

 _Nà shì mǎ shǐ._

 _Hadn't stopped the Captain looking after River and Simon along with rest of us. Now, did it?_

 _Or...or, is it more than just 'em bounties this time?_

 _Maybe...maybe it really is._

 _Very nervous sigh._

 _We gettin' darker feelings, and they ain't goin' away leavin' clouds in atmo._

 _Very nervous sigh._

 _Got ourselves caught up 'tween the Black and stars, and I really ain't like these darker feelings stickin' around._

* * *

 _Act I_

Simon cautiously walks up to the doorway to the engine room.

Awkwardly... Simon checks, "um...hello. Are you okay?"

Kaylee admits outright, "no. Heavy sigh. Not really."

She sniffles hard some. She doesn't even turn around.

Simon says, "Kaylee, I... Moderate sigh. I don't think you should worry too much about the Captain."

Kaylee completely turns around.

She's kind of sitting in the hammock now, facing Simon.

Kaylee asks, "really? You think I ain't got to worry too much?"

She very faintly smiles: Despite the teariness in her eyes.

Calmly... Simon brings up, "he has nightmares himself. But, he usually comes back."

With a storm of mixed feelings... Kaylee explodes, "you ain't think I'm knowin' that we all got nightmares?!"

Then... She sobs into her hands.

Simon heavily sighs.

After a long minute... He finally says something.

Teary eyed... Simon goes, "oh my god. I...I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'll go."

He starts to leave.

But... Kaylee looks up.

Some tears fall from her face. But, she stops sobbing all a sudden.

Somberly... Kaylee calls out, "Simon...don't leave! Heavy sigh. Hard sniffle! I'm really sorry. I...I just..."

Simon stops at the doorway.

He turns back to her just as quickly.

Nervous... He asks, "just...what?"

Kaylee explains, "I...I miss takin' on passengers. Dear hearts that feel... Well, feel more than the folks we've been coming across these days."

She sniffles hard.

Then... Kaylee continues, "it ain't always 'bout stories. Don't get me wrong. I really like hearin' theirs. But, they... Hard sniffle. Most of 'em have feelings: Feelings like most of us on Serenity. You know?"

With a faint smile... Simon realizes, "yeah. Yeah, Kaylee. I think I do."

Kaylee kind of slowly puts a comforting hand on his.

Kaylee faintly nervously chuckles. So does Simon.

Kaylee reflects, "ain't never could have too many dear hearts. Mommie always told me that. But, I always liked hearing her tell me."

Simon very faintly awkwardly laughs.

Sounding more curious than off right now... Kaylee asks, "what?"

Simon politely apologizes, "I'm...I'm sorry. I'm not making fun of you."

Kaylee tells him, "oh. Oh. That's good."

She sounds somewhat distant. But, she's very faintly smiling to him.

Simon reminisces, "you're welcome. It's just... Very faint awkward laugh. I think my parents had gotten so used to us as geniuses growing up that...that it was easy to think we could tell them anything. It was really easy to think they would think we could never care too much. Hard sniffle. Then River didn't come home, the months away were growing...and they wouldn't really read her letters to know something was really wrong with my sister at...at The Academy. Even when I pointed out she was talking in code to...to say she was..."

He can't bring himself to finish the thought. He just sniffles hard and cries.

There's a very nervous silence.

Kaylee sniffles hard. She mutters under her breath, "I...I still can't believe they didn't believe she was really in trouble. She is your sister, Simon!"

Simon points out, "I know. I know. I still find it hard to believe myself. And, even so... Hard sniffle. They...they seemed so logical about their disbelief."

Some tears fall from his face.

Kaylee checks in concern, "you gonna be okay?"

Simon answers, "yeah. I...I think so. It's River I usually worry about...and the rest of the crew."

Kaylee adds, "good."

Simon says, "thanks." Kaylee says, "you're welcome."

The teariness in their eyes start to dry up.

Simon starts to say, "what I'm trying to say is...is..."

He awkwardly sighs.

Kaylee wonders, "what? You can tell me."

Simon tells her, "you were very blessed to have parents that believe you when they should have."

Kaylee beams a little.

She starts to say, "I was. But..."

Simon asks, "what?"

Kaylee fully recalls, "that ain't all to it, Simon. Got in trouble a lot just fer bein' curious when I were young and up on my home world Glacier. Tryin' to fix a roof and falling off it, picking up a stray dog 'fore I knew it might bite me, sex..."

They both faintly awkwardly chuckle.

They inch a little closer.

But, then... From the cockpit... Wash announces, "Simon, Kaylee...you better get down to the infirmary."

Kaylee and Simon look concerned as hell.

They quickly move away from each other.

But, just as quickly... They start to hurry down to the infirmary together.

Twenty or so minutes later, in the Infirmary...

Jayne is lying unconscious on a medical bed.

Medical tubes are in his side. A ice pack is lying next to that same side.

A cast is around his side as well: With some dark red liquid seeped in all over.

But...he's still breathing.

Solemnly... Kaylee says, "I'm glad he's gonna make it Simon."

She's very faintly sniffling, standing there close by Jayne.

Simon briefly pauses.

Simon concludes, "well, I am his doctor. He's going to make it. You also heard the captain: We don't seem to be in any rush to go somewhere, which is really nice."

Kaylee concludes, "yeah. Faint chuckle. Well, however long we still got it for...it really is nice to have that feeling back."

Simon adds, "yeah. It really is."

They faintly smile to each other.

Awkwardly... Simon offers, "well...I don't just kind of like you. You're welcome to stay as long as you like."

Kaylee blushes a little.

She adds, "thanks." Simon adds, "you're welcome."

There's a brief awkward silence.

Kaylee wonders, "you know what I did each time? Each time I got in trouble?"

Simon deduces, "no. I don't. But, please tell me. I'd like to know."

Kaylee adds, "thanks."

She goes on, "well... I lied to them to cover it up after steppin' back and realizing what I do...not wantin' to hurt any one's feelings. Moderate sigh. But, I ain't much good at lyin'. Never really were good at lyin'. Daddy always whipped me for it. But, 'pending on what it were for...sometimes it weren't even a minute."

Simon looks very concerned all a sudden.

Simon murmurs lowly, "oh...oh my god. I'm sorry."

Kaylee is quick to wonder in concern, "what have you got to be sorry for, doctor? What's wrong?"

Very uncomfortably... Simon brings up, "I...I can't imagine ever being whipped. No one was on Osiris growing up."

With mixed feelings... Kaylee heavily sighs.

Teary eyed... Kaylee reflects, "seen worse hurt on the Core Planets from stories I read on the historical database you gave me. But... Hard sniffle. But, they still got days to celebrate as time came and went by. Hard sniffle. 'fore I knew what the Core Planets were like though...it was farm life when young out in the Black: For millions of folk 'cross the Border planets and all them pretty stars."

She briefly very faintly smiles on the middle part.

Looking a bit stunned... Simon realizes, "you really have been reading a lot from my historical database."

With a very faint smile... Kaylee adds, "of course I have, Simon. It was a gift from you."

With a very faint smile back... Simon remarks, "so...hard upbringing, all work, and no play?"

Kaylee faintly chuckles. She points out, "Simon, it ain't never just work. Adults got to even have fun. Faint chuckle. It ain't really much different on Serenity. Least...it used to be when I were young."

Simon faintly chuckles. He reflects, "I think I would have liked to go to Glacier when you were young."

Kaylee blushes a little.

If it weren't for her lingering mixed feelings, she'd be blushing even more.

She reminisces, "ohh. Thanks Simon. It...it still can be shiny there. I mean, I hope it still is. Hard sniffle! Those damn bounties on all us keepin' us from goin' home, and I ain't even got a proper lookin' man fer sure to show off to my folks fer my troubles out here. Sniffle. My folks thought I'd go up on a ship with a good lookin' mechanic like myself. That what I were fixin' on. Bester and me... We...we were even talkin' of engagement fer two days. I mean...I mean we haven't even saw each other before, and it was seemin' that simple. You know? Thought he was really listening, even when I were talkin' about engines."

With mixed feelings... Simon puts two and two together, "but he wasn't really?"

Kaylee sniffles hard. She recalls, "yeah. He weren't really. 'till I jumped at the chance to be a mechanic on a real working Firefly...I thought he felt more for me. And, then...he ain't never spoke to me again. Hard sniffle. Blamed me for ruining his "shiny" reputation. Got mad. Almost even hit me. Hard sniffle. And, well... Hard sniffle. My daddy took it hard fer months, and I ain't even told 'em full why Bester left me. Thought joining the crew could have been all just a growing pain and I'd be achin' for Bester again, my daddy did. Many months after Bester left though...I've been all right. He ended using other girls's talents off on other worlds to look shiny fer himself, and he weren't even smart enough to realize what he there were doin'. Sniffle. Faint real nervous chuckle. Tried as could, I...I just couldn't real blame him for not being that smart. Some folk just are dumber. You know?"

In her mind... Flashes go by fast: Of Bester and Kaylee talking and laughing a lot with broken off little engine parts on the engine room floor, of Kaylee fixing Serenity's engine trouble and unintentionally getting the best of Bester with doing so, of Bester and Kaylee looking real shook at each other on a busy coastal mostly rocky shore, of Bester shouting at Kaylee and about to hit her, of Bester stopping himself over a deep sigh, of both of them on the verge of tears, of Kaylee running off, of Kaylee sobbing to herself in her bunk back on Serenity, of Kaylee becoming cheerful all over again after putting back in most of the supposedly broken off engine parts with a lot of grease over her face and arms...and of Kaylee venting to Inara in her shuttle for who knows how long instead of alone in her bunk.

Simon very faintly nervously laughs.

He starts to say, "yeah. I know someone who is big, never got schooling, and..."

Kaylee gives him a warning look.

Nervously... Simon is quick to say, "I...I mean I have known some people like that."

Kaylee smiles in mixed relief. Simon's expression softens.

Kaylee reveals, "if it help... Moderate sigh. I ain't even known I weren't the only one 'till Inara found out. Don't know how she did that diggin'. But, those other girls... Inara said most of 'em were not even graduated from school yet then. Probable not even lookin' for credit for work 'till they graduated, and so they didn't say much unless they got asked."

With a very faint knowing smile... Simon assures, "yeah. That's...that's really good to bring up to my attention. I'd hate to think Bester abused you or other girls."

Solemnly... Kaylee thinks out loud, "I'm glad he ain't abused girls neither, Simon."

Simon adds, "yeah. We both are."

Kaylee very faintly chuckles.

She briefly smiles wide.

Simon very awkwardly chuckles, looking down at the floor.

He's trying to get the guts to say something more...when Kaylee suddenly turns toward the open doorway.

Kaylee greets, "hey sweetie."

She waves as she does.

River is standing in the open doorway.

She's in her rope like white top, over her purplish whitish top with the four tip red star and a fiery bird claw coming out.

With a faint smile... She waves back.

Simon just silently faintly smiles in the corner of the Infirmary like a idiot.

River kind of cryptically tells, "Captain knows what you need. But, you both don't yet. Big cattle. Blurry crowds. Sniffle. Sniffle! Cold cells of classes of two. Blurry crowds!"

Simon and Kaylee look very shook.

River runs off...sobbing.

She leaves a trail of tears on the floor behind her.

Simon concludes, "oh god. I...I got to check on my sister. You're going to be okay?"

Sounding kind of shook still... Kaylee insists, "yeah. I... Moderate sigh. Right now, I just hope River is okay too. But, what the ruttin' hell were she just saying?"

Simon figures, "I'm sorry. I...I think it's some way a learning experience. But, aside from that... Moderate sigh. Nothing is coming to me."

With a faint smile... Kaylee mostly assures, "Simon, I...I like you are trying. I am. But... Hard sniffle! But, it don't mean you got to stay now worryin' over me. I also really am close to River. Go to her. I'll still be around here waitin'."

With a faint smile back... Simon adds, "thanks. I'll...I'll be back soon, Kaylee. I think."

With a faint nod... Kaylee just says, "okay."

And, with that... Simon fast walks back to his and River's bunk to check on River.

Kaylee heavily somberly sighs.

She mutters under her breath to herself, "only...that ain't all I'm hopin' for. Bein' just okay is gettin' all hard to find here in the Black. But... Hard sniffle. Faint laugh. But, Captain knows what I need?"

More somberly... She figures, "so why don't that help now?"

She heavily sighs again.

Deep down... She knows too well enough why: Because River came to warn her of what's coming.

* * *

 _Act II_

Two days later...

River is mostly okay now. But, she's spending most time lately with Mrs. Spiral's Alliance security dedicated Source Box.

She's hunched over on her knees on the floor, facing the Alliance security dedicated Source Box's almost watery screen.

It has a computer like hum to it as it runs.

But, also on it... Soft humming chimes play in a instrumental part of River's music album collection.

Just about everyone else on the crew thought it's best to just let her be for now. But, Simon still often checks on her.

Meanwhile... Mal and Kaylee have a storm of mixed feelings of another kind.

Mal wanted to try to cheer Kaylee up. So, he got the first cattle job they could get.

Usually, a job delivering cattle would be very comforting for Mal himself. But...these are monstrous cattle.

DNA bred cattle with twice as much muscle and big bulges of fat along the limbs, and without destabilization of the DNA. And, it's all thanks to a geneticist named Davis Glick and his recently finished highly concentrated formula called Anabolister.

It would be dropped into highly concentrated liquidated DNA for DNA bred animals and then grown accordingly.

Davis Glick has slightly messy medium black hair with some gray streaks.

He wears a very dark green formal shirt, a light yellow undershirt, and grayish blue baggy like jeans with rips across.

He brought six monstrous cattle onboard Serenity as living proof of his formula...and eighteen whole crates of grass for grazing and twenty four crates of water just for two trips.

Davis is planning to sell the formula and the monstrous cattle to the highest bidder for big loads on farmland: For The Alliance, or for a gang that can gather up enough credits to place a bid themselves.

He's a passenger on Serenity. Off the record: With him being completely independent and with the crew still having bounties on their heads.

The lounge area in the galley, two vacant bunks, a good corner of the cargo hold, and shuttle two are filled with stacks of three crates full. Behind all the stacks, they're near invisible.

Plenty of gray foil like tarp on the cargo hold floor. Large piles of cow poo all too easy to see and smell.

Jayne is back on his feet. But, hints of a large cast are slightly sticking out from under his T-shirt.

Mal and Zoe are feeding and watering the monstrous cattle.

Jayne, Mal, and Zoe are taking day and night shifts watching them: With two of them at a time, in case they need a strong but firm hand to herd them back to their two wide open corners of the cargo hold.

Mal has already claimed most of the night shift for himself and by himself.

And even with all the mixed feelings in him... Mal felt some comfort from looking after the monstrous cattle.

The certainty of his calm firm hands with cattle, the mooing, the automatic muscle movements calling back to working on the farm with his momma Belle... It felt a lot like Shadow to him.

And yet at the same time...he was dead certain it was far from it this time.

Jayne has gotten stuck with shoveling along with Zoe and Mal.

They keep dumping the cow poo in their shovels into left over empty crates. But, where else would it go?

Simon has been preparing veterinarian supplies and medicine in case it's needed.

And, through most of the morning... Kaylee has been mostly sitting on a crate, sighing heavily to herself.

She briefly faintly smiles toward the monstrous cattle.

But, at the same time... She looks real shook.

It sure isn't helping that the monstrous bulls and cows are making Serenity's floor creak just from walking in circles.

Back with River...

The Alliance security dedicated Source Box can locate other Alliance dedicated Source Boxes like it in Sunner range. With triangulation of their signals, it can locate a base of The Academy and give coordinates for it.

But...the trickiest part is to know where in the Verse to start looking.

Somehow, trying to triangulate on the gyroscope compass styled map on the almost watery screen seems calming to River. Yet, she hasn't been tracing much any lines on the touch screen.

Suddenly... She gets two faint chones and two faint silvery circles from the right of the map.

River beams.

She faintly chuckles.

She's about to trace a line to it with her finger.

But, in a second... It's already gone.

Teary eyed all a sudden... River deeply sighs.

She sniffles hard, rocking back and forth some.

Mental images are fluctuating rapidly in her mind:

Cold metallic interrogation rooms with wood tables, lamps, and chairs in the dim light. Spherical shiny yellow corridors lined with wires covered in black tubing.

Dust clouds gone and back around. Stars out among lightning like space anomalies and nebulas.

Turquoise tinted chambers in the dim light. Kids screaming and crying, strapped in chairs.

A grayish gold lined rustic brown falcon saucer styled completely spherical vessel flying out in the black.

Then... It all suddenly dawns on River.

She stops rocking back and forth.

And... River very faintly laughs at herself.

A few hours later, in the Infirmary...

Simon is getting his stethoscope, and his kind of heavy pale white mobile medical monitoring unit with a plasma ball like glass orb without the plasma.

He pockets several veterinarian vaccinations in his pockets.

He's about to leave the Infirmary.

But... Davis is suddenly standing there in the doorway.

With a slightly cold and very rounded voice... He argues, "hey there. I get you're a doctor. But, this is absolutely unnecessary! I had them checked myself before they came onboard."

Simon looks at him like he's crazy.

He goes, "you're unbelievable! Have you even seen cattle disease, Davis?"

Somewhat nervously... Davis admits, "well...not really. But, I know a doctor."

He suddenly pulls out a quarter of a steak and cheese sandwich from his pocket.

He stuffs it in his mouth, quickly eating the rest.

Simon puts down his mobile medical monitoring unit on the vacant medical bed.

He moderately sighs to himself.

Then... He turns to directly face Davis.

By then... Davis got out a half messy looking napkin from his pockets, wiped the crumbs away from his mouth, and dumped it in the trash can.

Simon figures, "uh huh. Well, if it's your doctor or not... Oh, right. I'm the only doctor on this ship. It's also standard procedure on a ship carrying cattle to medically check them if they should be vaccinated or not before they get to their stop. Besides, with experimental formulas like Anabolister, you can't really be too careful."

Davis faintly laughs. He figures, "thanks. But, I ain't worried. Carrying the cattle is only for a day, doctor. And, what are you? Faint laugh. A super genius or something?"

Simon gulps nervously at the last question.

Simon tells him, "no...no. Not really. But, I do also have a degree in veterinary medicine."

He's telling him a bold faced lie to protect his identity, and he knows it.

Davis condescendingly just says, "uh huh."

He annoyedly slightly glares.

Simon moderately sighs.

For a bit... He leans back against the edge of the medical bed with his arms.

With a slightly cold glare... He pushes back, "You don't have to get along with me. Just let me do my job, and I'll let you do yours. That's something that even you can understand. Right?"

Davis mutters, "you got a problem with my prized stock, "doctor"?"

He begins to tensely glare.

Simon thinks out loud, "no. But, I'm beginning to get the impression that you weren't raised well...at all."

Davis practically shouts, "why you...!"

He's about to punch him.

Simon's calm is quickly going out the window.

But, fortunately... Mal stands in between them.

His arms are kind of casually out.

He cuttingly remarks, "hey, hey now! We ain't gettin' all-fired up over which of you raised the other now and spookin' the cattle. Dong ma?"

Simon and Davis both look wide eyed at Mal in shock.

Real awkwardly... Davis comments, "nǐ zhǐshì fēngle huò tī gāowán?! It ain't like that, captain! But... Moderate sigh. But, you're right: It ain't worth spooking my prized stock. I'm sure you can handle him from here."

He fast walks off, heading for his bunk.

Simon is about to angrily say something back to him.

But... Mal gives Simon a very cold glare.

Simon gulps very nervously.

Mal pinpoints in concern, "doc...I conjure you weren't really lookin' to fight him: Pretty face like yours. So, what the hell was that all about?"

Simon takes a deep breath.

Then... He explains, "he was standing in the way of my medical exams on the cattle. I tried to calmly explain to him why I was doing them. But, he...he said they were absolutely unnecessary and took it personally. Heavy sigh! I take it you even saw he was about to hurt me."

Mal moderately sighs in his hand.

Then... He looks up.

He figures, "you did all you could. Go medically check the cattle. I'll keep a eye out for 'im."

Simon very faintly smiles.

He adds, "thanks."

He gathers back up his stethoscope and his mobile medical monitoring unit.

He's heading out of the Infirmary.

But... Mal is quick to deduce, "but, I heard enough arguin' down the hall to know he ain't the only one takin' it personal. Least try to be nicer, doc...cause this is going to be a long day for us."

With no hidden contempt aimed elsewhere... Simon comments, "yeah. It already is a long day."

And, with that... Simon carries on to medically examine the cattle.

Very soon after... It's Jayne and Mal's afternoon shift looking after the cattle.

Jayne smirks some and grins.

He smacks one of the monstrous bulls on the butt with both hands: In rapid succession just so he'd feel it past the monstrously thick back leg muscles.

A bunch of moos. Some snorting and bellows.

But... The monstrous bull just circles back to the herd like nothing happened.

With a laugh... Jayne concludes, "ruttin' good cows. Plenty of meat for families right here."

He lightly pats one of the monstrous cows on the side.

She loudly moos some. But, she doesn't move away.

Then, most in the herd loudly moo and grunt some.

Mal moderately sighs into his hand.

Just as quickly... He looks up.

He starts to say, "Jayne..."

Confused... Jayne asks, "what?"

With a stern look... Mal tells him, "we ain't bringing them for nothing 'cept gettin' them straight for New Melbourne."

Casually... Jayne figures, "hell, I knew that. But, they ain't goin' right to a farm neither. Where else would they go?"

With no hidden contempt... Mal points out, "they're least to show off to potential buyers of Davis's "shiny" formula. I don't care where they get bought and sold: Long as they ain't gettin' in no body's way out here."

Jayne comments, "seems you do care though. Don't know how. But, I see it."

His smirk has faded.

Grimly... Mal admits, "'cause there something mighty unsettlin' 'bout selling "monster" cattle anyhow. I usual like cattle. But, this formula... Scoff. Can't fix with liqudifyin' DNA what ain't broke. If I ain't know better none, I'd say it was all work of The Alliance. Only reason we was takin' this job were to help Kaylee feel better."

Jayne faintly laughs with some amusement.

He motions over toward him with a outstretched hand kind of out.

He goes on, "yeah. Figures you would think so, Mal. Ain't got a problem with that. But..."

Calm sounding... Mal comments, "never thought I'd hear that day come."

Jayne adds, "thanks." Mal adds, "sure."

They both smirk to each other.

Mal can't help but wonder, "but...what were you gonna say now, Jayne?"

Jayne faintly laughs awkwardly a little.

Confidently... He suggests, "well...you sure we ain't gettin' at least one for meat raffles? Faint laugh. Meat like that, we could get ourselves two thousand credits on Atreus just for..."

In his mind... Flashes go by fast: Of crude stone oven like walls with dark red curved out bolted in planks and matching rim holding them up, some with wire fences and some without, of a kind of rapid succession of brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter, of slabs of fatty meat and trails of dark red liquid briefly seen flying across arenas of crude stone oven like walls, of a creepily cheerful underground crowd of spectators laughing and roaring in the metal gray stands, of brief shots of dark red liquid seeping from the plenty of deep dark red cuts in the sides of both wrestlers in the matches, of the dead corpses of wrestlers lying on the crude metal floor of the arenas...and of their just as really fat opponent wrestlers laughing and roaring out to the crowds in meat raffle victories.

Mal gives Jayne a warning glare.

Mal starts to say, "Jayne..."

Jayne gulps nervously, standing there.

Mal mutters under his breath, "we ain't sendin' any of them to Atreus just so you could get another taste of shiny food."

Jayne replies back, "aw hell Mal! It wouldn't had been just for me."

Mal considers, "I know. You might be that desperate Jayne. But, we ain't that desperate for coin on the ship. None rest of us. You want to be? Try to captain another crew and see where it get you. Dong ma?"

Jayne glares back.

He mutters under his breath, "damnit Mal! Can't get much fun on this ship."

He huffs some in frustration.

But... He just as quickly starts to storm off.

Sounding a little amused now... Mal calls back, "you can. Just ain't always."

But... Jayne is already out of sight.

Mal heavily sighs. He comments to himself, "yeah. It ain't never seems to go smooth with him...nor myself."

He looks down hard some on the last part.

A hour or so later...

Davis is sitting on a crate a ways off, surveying the monstrous cattle.

But... He's also eating two more of the steak and cheese sandwiches he brought with him for the trip: Despite already having had lunch in the galley three hours ago.

Kaylee wonders, "how does he do it? He just goes and keep on eatin'."

River plainly says, "he works off it. But, some things you... Heavy sigh. Dust clouds."

She hunches over, covering her head.

She's sitting right by Kaylee on the same crate.

With a rise in tone... Kaylee asks in concern, "what is it? What's wrong?"

She starts to reach out to her.

But, just as quickly... River looks up.

She's teary eyed. But, she doesn't have her hands over her head now.

Somber... River reasons, "not me. Care for you and him. But, he... Faint sniffle. He near hurt Simon. Faint sniffle. Pride. Two."

She raises two fingers from her hand.

Getting teary eyed herself... Kaylee murmurs kind of loudly, "oh dear. Is he...?!"

River turns to face her.

River contemplates, "not sure how to feel of Davis. But...Simon will be okay. Hard sniffle. Think you'll be okay too."

Kaylee breathes a sigh of mixed relief.

Somewhat nervous... She reasons, "well, that's...that's good. Thank you."

River goes into explaining, "you're welcome. But... Sniffle. Care for you. I...came to see you."

Kaylee is trying to still smile. But, the teariness in her eyes is starting to dry up.

Kaylee says, "ohh. Sniffle. Thank you River."

There's a brief awkward silence.

Kaylee admits, "still don't real know what I gonna be okay from. But... Faint sniffle. Thank you for trying."

River impatiently rolls her eyes.

She implies, "not the only why."

Somewhat awkwardly... Kaylee apologizes, "oh. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt yah or anything."

River puts a comforting hand on hers.

And, with a faint smile... She mostly assures, "it's okay Kaylee. Not interrupt. Faint nervous laugh. Can't interrupt what I read. Good and bad."

Nervous... Kaylee says, "thanks sweetie. But...but, River?"

Calm sounding... River asks, "yes?"

Kaylee can't help but wonder, "where did the Captain go? Thought he were out here with Zoe lookin' after..."

She starts to motion forward with her arm.

But, just as quickly... River finishes the thought, "the cows and the bulls."

Kaylee very nervously smiles and nods.

River explains, "I talk to him nicely. Faint chuckle. Takes our thunderclouds so it doesn't rain over us. You still have... Faint sniffle. That sewing needle."

She nervously points to Kaylee's pocket.

The syringe with dilaftin and thiopanuryis is still there.

Kaylee gulps real nervously for all kinds of reasons.

After a bit... Kaylee says, "thanks. But, you..."

Suddenly... She notices something.

River has pulled out her red dress with the pink puffy undercarriage.

It's flattened from River sitting on it long enough.

Kaylee can't help but laugh some.

She questions, "how come you bring it out? Faint laugh. Zhè duì nǐ lái shuō zhēnshi tài hǔnluànle. You already even wearing pretty."

She shakes her head some in the midst of her faint laughing.

River faintly grins.

With a faint giggle... River says, "I am. You'll see."

Kaylee realizes, "ohh. It's a secret. Ain't it?"

With a faint giggle... River hints, "yes. But, not long now."

Kaylee faintly chuckles.

Somber all a sudden... River reflects, "I feel the cattle's brains. Animals inside. They want to be close to home, but can't. I... Faint sniffle. I know what they mean."

With a faint smile... Kaylee admits, "yeah. I...I do too. But, we got family here just as much as there."

With a smile back... River says, "Serenity whispers."

Thinking back to their Christmas skit... Kaylee beams.

She figures, "yeah. Her workings sure can whisper much as talk."

Confidently... River concludes, "yes. But, not just Serenity. You can go up to the animals."

Kaylee looks real shook all a sudden.

Kaylee voices, "r...really? All those muscles they got on them... I'm scared they'll unintentionally hurt me. Sniffle. They're plenty a size bigger than you."

River tries to assure, "I know. Don't mean can't go up to them. I'll be by you. Keep you safe. Davis go when got to go."

Kaylee very faintly smiles.

She openly considers, "all right. But...but, how can you be so damn sure?"

Kind of awkwardly... River brings up, "his stomach empties of natural causes on throne. He go when got to go. You asked."

Kaylee laughs hard some.

Kaylee goes, "oh my god. That's...that's awful. Yet, it sounds kinda pretty coming from you."

River faintly giggles.

Kind of cryptic... River points out, "not everyone likes to eat. He doesn't really. But... Heavy sigh. Faint sniffle. Dust clouds."

She violently shakes a little.

Kaylee concludes, "I'm sorry. You know, I...I just ain't sure I know what you mean."

Solemn... River apologizes, "sorry. Dust clouds. A lot of dust clouds in and out. The black Source Box. Faint sniffle. Save that story for another day."

She stops violently shaking.

They hug each other tight.

Kaylee tries to assure, "it's okay. We'll figure out what we gonna need...someway."

They kind of pull away.

And, with a mischievous giggle... River adds, "already know how."

Kaylee faintly smiles back.

Soon...Davis heads to the bathroom by his guest bunk.

Kaylee takes some heavy breaths.

She says, "okay. We're going right up to them. Right?"

She gets down from the crate. So does River.

Kaylee starts to walk forward.

But... River stands in front of her.

She puts a arm out.

Interestingly... She warns, "not safe right now."

Real confused... Kaylee starts to bring up, "but...but, didn't you just...?"

River explains, "got to go first to keep you safe, silly."

Kaylee laughs some. So does River.

River continues, "can look. But, please. Don't cry wolf on me."

With a faint smile... Kaylee awkwardly concludes, "okay genius. You first."

River smiles.

She turns back toward the monstrous cattle.

She's walking toward them.

One cow moos. The other cattle moo, snort some, and grunt.

River makes eye contact with one of the bulls.

She knowingly smiles.

With a faint giggle... River says, "you want to play with me?"

Some low moos and snorts.

River challenges, "can sense you could like me. Faint giggle. Know I don't look like cow or bull. Don't explore like you. But, know how to play like you. Faint giggle. Go on, bull. Try to prove I can't take you down. Can't hurt me."

All the while... She's bunching up the dress still in her hands behind her back.

She shuffle steps and taps her feet. But, she doesn't look down even a little.

Some nickering and low bellows.

The monstrous bull kicks up its front hooves.

With a low bellow... The monstrous bull charges.

River hunches down.

But, in seconds... She acrobatically flip tumbles back up.

At the same time... She pulls out the dress from behind her to put up in front of her.

It's now bunched up and twisted over itself...like a silk rope with horn shaped bunches at the ends.

As River comes down... The monstrous bull's horns catch the horn shaped ends.

Their heads keep briefly meeting.

Teary eyed... Kaylee looks real worried.

She's about to call out to River.

But, instead... She begins to smile wide at the sight before her.

River keeps dodging the monstrous bull's head just fast enough.

She's side twist jump tumbling from one side to another, still holding to the center of her improvised dress rope as though it's a part of her physical body.

River keeps giggling in amusement.

Kaylee laughs hard, doubling over some.

The monstrous bull huffs at River.

A lot of loud moos, nickering, and snorts.

The monstrous bull rams his head at River from the side.

River acrobatically flip tumbles up and over his head.

And, in mid-flip... She pulls back on her dress rope.

She's no longer giggling.

The monstrous bull's horns tear and tear through the dress rope.

But, even so... River pulls the monstrous bull's head down some from the sudden change in momentum.

River flip tumble kicks harmlessly off of the muscular side of the monstrous bull's head.

Then... River acrobatically twist flips herself up higher.

She lets go of the dress rope as she does...twist flipping off of it.

The monstrous bull looks around in confusion.

Then... River comes back down...landing hard on her back on top of her dress rope.

Both ends of her dress rope completely tear apart in dark red and pink puffy shards.

But... Most of her unwinding dress cushions River's fall.

She lands over the monstrous bull's horns.

The impact rams the monstrous bull's head down.

The cargo hold floor shakes some.

The monstrous bull's head goes down.

He's only slightly stunned.

He kind of easily lifts his head back up.

But...the mock fight is already over.

River kind of easily tumble falls off of his head, taking the torn up dress with her.

The monstrous bull struggles to catch his breath some.

River barely gets back to her feet.

She's kind of out of breath. But, she's only sweaty some.

Kaylee claps kind of loudly.

But, with very mixed feelings of uncertainty... She doesn't want to make too sudden a move to draw the monstrous cattle to her in a way she and River will regret.

She just faintly beams: Mostly toward River.

River briefly smiles wide back to Kaylee.

A lot of loud moos, grunts, and nickering.

Some sharp bellowing from the monstrous queen cow.

A nervous silence among the cattle.

The queen cow comes up to River.

The queen cow makes direct eye contact.

She moos and snorts some.

She kicks up her hooves, looking ready to charge.

But, then... Surprisingly... River coughs hard some.

She falls down...landing on her side.

The queen cow stops kicking up her hooves.

She moos loudly quite a bit.

Then... She moos and grunts.

So does the rest of the cattle.

As they briefly look at each other and away from River... River from the floor quickly waves to Kaylee in silent assurance.

Kaylee beams knowingly.

From reading her mind... River knows it too.

The queen cow gently nuzzles River some.

Afterwards... River fake coughs hard some.

Then... The queen cow backs away.

A lot of loud mooing, nickering, and grunts.

The first monstrous bull kind of slowly goes over to River.

He makes direct eye contact.

River smiles.

She fake coughs hard some.

And... The first monstrous bull gently lies his head against the side of River's head.

From the floor... River kind of slowly motions Kaylee to come.

Kaylee gulps very nervously.

She takes some heavy breaths.

She walks over toward River and the first monstrous bull.

Some sharp bellowing from the monstrous queen cow.

Kaylee pauses.

But, before the rest of the cattle can say something... River calmly moos some back to the queen cow.

The queen cow moos and snorts some.

Then... She calmly grunts a little.

The rest of the cattle mostly moo, nicker, and grunt a little.

Kaylee very faintly beams in mixed relief.

A minute or so later...

The monstrous bull is licking sweat away from the skin on River's arm and neck.

But, with her reactive impulses... River keeps making sure to slightly move away well enough to not be unintentionally hurt by the monstrous bull's horns or head.

River is a little teary eyed from the weirdly soft roughness of his tongue. But, with not even a little violent shaking, it's clearly just physically reactive for her.

She smiles.

She's sitting upright on the floor, inches away from some closed or closed up crates.

All this time, River is firmly stroking the side of the monstrous bull's head and behind his ears.

But, she keeps her hands clear of the edges of his constantly cud chewing mouth.

The monstrous bull huffs some, catching his breath some.

With some mixed feelings... River tells him, "sweet little souls. Tougher outside than we really are. Faint sniffle. Never can't remember. Faint sniffle. Good you don't see cold chair. Instrumental. Faint sniffle. Took away my functioning. Came back scattered to leaves."

Soon, the monstrous bull is licking her other arm.

River alternates her arms real fast.

She continues to stroke the side of his head and behind his ears with her recently free arm.

She faintly giggles.

Kaylee is mostly lying down on the floor, with her head against the front part of the side of a second monstrous cow.

She smiles wide.

The second monstrous cow and a third monstrous cow have their heads close by Kaylee.

They keep kind of gently nuzzling her arms and the sides of her face.

Kaylee keeps stroking them on top of their heads.

She even kisses the sides of their heads some.

They huff a little, catching their breaths a little.

Kaylee sighs kind of loudly. But, she sounds very calm.

Past the heads of the two cows close by her... Kaylee kind of turns toward River.

Kaylee says, "thanks River. I never would have got real happy if you ain't helped me."

River says, "you're...welcome."

She sounds distant on the last part.

Suddenly... River pulls back some.

She goes wide eyed.

Some tears fall from her face.

Kaylee asks in concern, "River? What...what's wrong?"

River just noticed the monstrous bull trying to lick her face. But, she faintly smiles at that.

She puts her open hand out in front of her.

She lets the monstrous bull lick her hand all over instead.

Then... River explains lowly to Kaylee, "Davis. A boob! Hard sniffle. Can't stay! He's coming."

Very awkwardly... Kaylee realizes, "ohh."

Her eyes go wide in fear. And, she gulps very nervously.

River starts to get up.

The monstrous bull starts to bellow loudly.

With a dry finger to her lips... River goes, "shh."

At the same time... She strokes the monstrous bull behind the ears with her soaked hand.

He doesn't bellow loudly then.

Teary eyed still... River admits outright, "I know. Sniffle! Hard to go for me too. But...but, big world coming for us different. Sniffle! Please remember. Remember me. Sniffle. Help your herd get through what comes."

She cranes her neck up.

She gives him a questioning moo.

The monstrous bull kind of firmly moos back.

There's footsteps.

With a very faint smile... River straightens back her head and neck.

She lets the monstrous bull lick her neck one last time.

She strokes the sides of his head some.

River's neck may have gotten reddish and sore. But, she doesn't seem to care one bit.

She knows her own mental scars too well to know what won't scar her: It's only second degree abrasions to her.

By now, Kaylee has already gotten up.

She gently strokes the second and third monstrous cows's heads one last time.

A lot of moos, grunts, and some loud bellows.

River kind of pulls Kaylee along by the hand.

And... They break into a run.

The queen cow bellows and grunts some.

Irritatedly... Davis calls out, "who's there?! Chwen troublemakers disturbin' my prized stock!"

He draws out a blue lined metallic pistol.

A lot of loud bellows and moos.

River and Kaylee run behind several crates, heading for one of the sets of metal stairs.

A moderately loud choo. A loud clink.

The shot ricochets off the stairs railing.

But... River and Kaylee are already running up the stairs.

With a very stern look... Zoe warns Davis, "don't know what's going on. But, you should leave any kind of shootin' to me and Mal. Understand me?"

She's got her custom made rifle aimed right at his back.

There's a brief nerve wracking silence.

Then... Davis moderately sighs.

He goes to put away his pistol. Zoe puts down her custom made rifle.

But... Zoe tells him, "best you hand it over for now. Ain't sure I trust you with it."

Davis moderately sighs.

He reluctantly hands it over to Zoe.

Zoe faintly smirks in satisfaction.

By then... River and Kaylee have disappeared from sight.

Late that night...

The lights have been left dim in the cargo hold.

The monstrous cattle are sleeping soundly.

Davis is slowly creeping around on the center catwalk.

He warily looks around.

And... He finds Kaylee sitting all bunched up on the edge of the catwalk.

She's teary eyed. She sniffles hard some.

She's looking out to the sleeping monstrous cattle.

Davis says, "hello."

Kaylee slightly turns toward him. She sniffles hard some.

Somberly... She says, "hey."

Surprisingly solemn sounding... Davis brings up, "umm...sorry I found you at a bad time. But...you don't happen to know who been sneaking around my stock. Do you?"

Kaylee looks fairly shook.

She starts to say, "I..."

She heavily sighs.

She tries to change the subject, "there's not even much point in me tellin' yah. Hard sniffle. You don't know how mixed my feelings are right now, and you seem to never could."

Davis asks, "really?"

Then... It suddenly hits Kaylee.

Kaylee bittersweetly faintly beams.

She starts to get up. But, she's still facing him.

She goes, "huh. Faint laugh. Maybe I really ain't the only one with these feelings after all."

Real awkwardly... Davis tries to insist, "I...I don't know what you're talking about."

Somewhat nervous... Kaylee continues, "Davis, I...I ain't got a problem with eating. But, I know why you do. And..."

With a slight glare... Davis asks, "what?"

Kaylee faintly laughs.

And... She brings up, "well, I...I ain't mean to be mean to you. But, it is kinda funny how we got the same mixed feelings on the same job."

With a weak laugh... Davis insists, "that's...that's crazy Kaylee. You've been up too long."

Kaylee puts a comforting hand on his.

She tries to assure, "not any more than you right now. Even though you near shot at me... Hard sniffle. I want to help you through those feelings. You just got to..."

Suddenly... Davis sharply moves his arms back.

He shoots back, "you've been sneaking around my stock with that annoying chwen girl?! What nà zhǒng gāowán tī were you really doing?!"

Some tears fall from Kaylee's face.

She is wide eyed and shaking in fear...complete fear.

* * *

 _Act III_

Kaylee cries out lowly, "oh my god! Oh god, please don't hurt me! Hard sniffle! We ain't meant to hurt anyone. We were just bein' real nice to 'em. That's all. Hard sniffle! And, then...and then you came in and..."

And... She can't take it anymore.

She breaks down sobbing.

She shrinks back some against the catwalk railing as she does.

Davis heatedly argues, "no. No. You were disturbin' them. I saw the torn up dress! I heard them!"

Between the tears... Kaylee murmurs under her breath, "but, you...you came in with a gun and done scared them!"

With a very cold tone... Davis mutters, "yeah. "Right." What do you know any way about my feelings?!"

He's getting teary eyed.

There's a very nervous silence.

Kaylee starts to slowly but surely stop sobbing.

A little more calm... Kaylee highlights, "well...I'll tell you what I think. Hard sniffle. I like cattle takin' on more jobs most folk would get too damn tired to do all by themselves. But... Hard sniffle. But, you eat more than most folk to not think about how Anabolister could however unintended get cattle hurtin' folk. Hard sniffle. Hell, I were tryin' not to think on it much. Hard sniffle. You act so cold. But, the great big cattle keep reminding yah of your genius and... And, well... Hard sniffle. Why can't you just let it out to...?"

Suddenly... Davis angrily cries out.

He grabs at her vest.

But... Kaylee is faster.

She runs for some stairs going up.

Davis angrily cries out.

Kaylee runs fast into the hall.

She is sobbing.

She hears running not at all far behind her.

She quickly pushes in her bunk door, clearing the way to the ladder.

Back the way she came... She hears a loud thud...followed by a violent groan.

But, Kaylee doesn't turn back to look.

She just fast climbs down into her bunk.

Back on the catwalk...

Mal has grabbed Davis by the shoulders.

Davis is coughing violently some.

Mal lets him go.

Davis reactively grabs onto the railing to keep himself upright.

He coughs violently some, clutching his side with his other hand.

With a very cold glare... Mal tells him, "now I been lookin' to do this job right well as you. 'cept for attackin' innocent Kaylee."

He gulps real nervously to himself.

He kind of loosely raises a finger up.

Firmly... Mal supposes, "but...but, we don't got to see your "monster" cattle again. And, you don't got the "need" to got to see us again neither. Dong ma?"

Davis coughs violently some, trying to catch his breath.

Then... He moderately sighs.

The coldness in his eyes have faded away.

And... He just answers, "yes."

Mal just faintly firmly nods.

Mal concludes, "good. Let's hope I sudden don't get the urge to toss you off my boat sooner."

And, with that... He walks away.

He leaves Davis violently coughing some again against the railing.

The next day...

The White Sun casts a glow over the docks of New Melbourne.

Seagulls squawking. Dark blue waves crashing on smooth grassy shores.

Pale very light orangish tan docks with large Chinese and European dragon patterns all over, reinforced concrete dock rungs, very dark blue Aztec sun patterned fencing, and ornamental Victorian lights.

Some with rowboats. Some with bigger spaceships.

Serenity docked among the bigger spaceships.

Many fishing folk and townsfolk in mostly green and black overcoats coming in and out on rowboats and space shuttles.

Shiny glass studded white ceramic made bridges and Webb Bridges from one skyscraper to the next on every level.

A flushing of a toilet.

A wood door opens and closes. Quickening footsteps.

A picture of purple flowered trees in a park on the dark blue wall. Skyscraper windows on the opposite side of the hall.

Some crowds of people pass through the hall.

A heavy breath by a Telephonix around a hall corner.

Soon... A thick connector wire placed behind the Telephonix: With a end clearly connected there.

The other end connected to a paleish green circuit board with little black circles all around it.

A silver switch, a circular black computer component, and a blue indicator light screwed on and wired to it.

A kind of shaky hand holding the circuit board up.

The Telephonix loading screen coming up.

Sounding fairly confused... A Alliance Police captain answers, "ni hao."

A picture of a purple flower comes over the Alliance Police captain's screen. Black background in the picture.

A familiar voice says, "hey. Umm...has The Alliance been out lookin' for Davis Glick?"

The Alliance Police captain gulps nervously some. The familiar voice gulps very nervously.

The Alliance Police captain starts to insist, "sorry miss. But, that's classified."

The familiar voice goes, "that...that don't... You don't got to answer the question. Just... Sniffle. Just if they happen to be... Tell them I know where he stayin'. Tell them he needs help from his folks back home. Sniffle. Please."

The Alliance Police captain looks fairly shaken.

With a very polite smile... He concludes, "all right miss. I'll at least report it on record."

The familiar voice very faintly nervously laughs. The familiar voice says, "that's real good enough. Already just gave you the coordinates. Should be comin' up now."

Coordinates, a skyscraper icon, and a room number come up on the picture's background.

The Cortex screen turns out to be built into a giant skyscraper window.

The Alliance Police captain kind of hurriedly goes over to a radio operator, making sure he gets all of the message down.

The radio operator firmly nods at his security station.

The Alliance Police captain turns back to the Cortex screen. But...the picture of the flower has just vanished.

The Alliance Police captain sighs in mixed feelings to himself.

That night, in the cockpit on Serenity...

Over the screen by the controls... A ANS news announcer with medium very dark brown hair is reading off a black dedicated Alliance Source Box.

The newsroom is done up with very light yellow stone walls and hints of studio lamp styled lights.

In a almost watery side screen... Wavecaster footage in full color is playing...of Davis Glick being taken into custody.

He struggled to break free, crying out in anger.

But, somewhat easily... Some guys in light gray formal clothes put Alliance issue handcuffs on him.

And, in the back of a house... Two nervous looking figures were being untied by a Alliance Intelligence agent in all black.

All the while... On both Chinese and dubbed in English tracks... The announcer says, "for the good of The Alliance, it seems that Davis Glick finally made his last mistake. He claimed he didn't need help. But, The Alliance knew better. Kidnapping your own parents is a call for help if I ever saw one."

Solemnly... The announcer very faintly smiled at that.

The announcer finishes his report, "well...he's finally going to get it. And of course, the Anabolister will be in good Alliance hands now. This is the Alliance News Source broadcast for tonight. Good night."

Mal sharply turns off the screen.

Getting on the comm... Mal orders, "Kaylee...get up here. Now."

He switches off the comm.

Chills are going down his spine.

Teary eyed... He heavily sighs something fierce to himself.

Soon...

Furiously... Mal mutters under his breath, "tiānxià de měi gèrén dōu yīnggāi sǐ!"

He near violently punches a hole in the screen.

He hunches over as his arms lean against the edges of the control panel.

He takes some pained heavy breaths. Some tears fall to the floor.

Kaylee is very nervously standing in the back of the cockpit...sobbing.

Mal sniffles hard.

After a long minute... He finally turns around to face her.

Incredulous and tense all at once... Mal figures, "so...so you got him pinched after we did the job. You... Very faint nervous laugh. You gave The Alliance the perfect chance to ruin him: Holdin' his own momma and father hostage to give himself and his mighty unsettling formula up. Hard sniffle! All cause...! Very faint nervous laugh. Hard sniffle! Kaylee...I ain't never conjured you would go behind my back. Not ever. Hard sniffle! Gorramit! What were you even figurin'?!"

A nerve wracking silence fills the cockpit.

Kaylee is shaking, struggling to stay calm well enough to talk.

After a bit... Kaylee starts to slowly but surely stop sobbing.

Kaylee admits outright, "I...I'm so sorry I hurt you, captain. Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! I...I really am. Hard sniffle! I just...just thought goin' back to his folks would help him. Help him not try to hurt innocent people. You know? Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! He...he sure weren't lookin' to go back there any soon! He wanted to keep his business with his damn troublin' genius formula goin'. So, I...I told them he needs help from his folks back home. I...I never thought the story would be awful horribly... Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. ...changed on him."

And, now... Mal can't help but very faintly smile.

In a awkward manner... He hugs her tight.

She hugs him back.

Some more tears fall from their faces. Some hard sniffles.

Some heavy sighs.

Then... They pull away.

With very mixed feelings... Mal voices, "Kaylee, I... I understand why you pinched him now. Hard sniffle. I ain't punishin' you over this. But, if you ever go behind my back again...I reckon to be takin' some awful serious second thoughts on you staying on this ship. Dong ma?"

He very coldly glares on the last part.

Kaylee real nervously nods.

Solemn... Kaylee tells him, "yes captain. Hard sniffle! I know now what you mean well. Hard sniffle. I...I'm so sorry. I..."

Mal very faintly smiles.

He insists, "little Kaylee, I know you are. Go to sleep. Could feel better wakin' up."

With a faint smile... Kaylee concludes, "thanks. That does help a little. Very faint chuckle. Good night, captain."

Mal adds, "good night."

Kaylee briefly waves back to Mal.

And, with that... She kind of slowly walks back to her bunk.

And, with no one else in the cockpit now... Mal sighs heavily into his hands.

Some faint sobs escape from his lips.

But, soon... Some very faint chuckles of great relief escape from him.


	19. S2, Ep 9: Hellbound

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Hellbound:

 _Teaser_

There's a Rim planet called Meridian. The moons Burnet and Bena circle around it.

Storm clouds, Iridium fortified stores and bars, cargo hold styled shuttle bays for countless silvery and gray shuttles, and yellowish sandy and rocky fjords cover the planet Meridian.

Burnet has silver tinted desert soil, Iridium mines, and large silvery ships.

Bena has large mountain ranges, wood houses, grassy mountainsides, and more than a fair share of trees.

The name of the moon Bena was inspired by the Border Planet of Verbena and its hope for peace throughout the Verse. But, with more of a Rim planet sound to it.

Bena has sat on the rim of war longer than even Verbena: Where local militia look for near any excuse to abuse a woman.

Yet, in recent days... There was a unprecedented unanimous planetary vote to preorder Genradiation plants.

Now the only Companion training House on Bena has just had their first Companion training graduates: Despite some public outcry from local men and local women on both sides of sexism.

In light of all the recent news around Bena... Meridian is a ideal secret meeting place tonight for Agent Mrs. Spiral.

As for Meridian itself?

Well... Mostly Norwegians and a little of near every nationality in the Verse live here.

When Norwegians in the Verse become adults, most of them go to or stay in Meridian.

However... Most older generation Norwegians are turned away at the very idea of a Companion: On the grounds of a certain traditional Norwegian rule.

Meridian has become one of the most welcoming planets in the Verse.

But, out on the far sides of the planet... Small settlements of older generation Norwegians keep to themselves.

Meridian even put up warning signs in Bokmål and English not to trespass there...or risk being shot at by the settlers.

Such harsh rules are the only thing keeping these settlers from leaving the planet altogether.

Yet, from Meridian's cities... Even the constant heavy storms seem like a distant nightmare from looking out the window.

Music playing from EDM and rock to folk though has a bit to do with that.

There are men and women folks in black jackets, Browncoat styled jackets, and light aqua to dark blue sweater like long sleeved shirts. Many are carrying a small Norwegian flag and a small Alliance flag in their jeans pockets.

Mal and River are quickly making their way past some sharp red moving LED lights.

Some eerie bright colored pink to dark blue mosaic masks of glass light bulbs are seen in the darkness.

There's loud EDM music playing, many young adults dancing on a dance floor, strippers down to their black and light silvery lingerie dancing low and around metal poles in the center...and a kind of quieter lounge area of the nightclub.

A young woman with slightly curly long light red hair is sitting in one of the metallic chairs in the lounge area.

She's smoking some marijuana. She wears a Browncoat styled jacket, and black and blue diagonally striped white pants.

She seems to have gone to a party in anticipation of her class taking final examinations in Alliance senior secondary school. For, there's several finished bottles of beer and some yet to be unwrapped gifts on the wood table in front of her.

There's a woman with long straight blond hair, black highlights, and swirled near black green vines like hoop earrings. There's also a woman with long straight strawberry blond hair and sparkly dark blue polished nails a short distance away.

They're off to the side, making out.

Mal introduces himself, "hello."

He and River are facing the mystery woman in the chair.

Tensely... She responds lowly, "what the hell do you want?!"

She's glaring heatedly at them.

She hurriedly puts the little ground up marijuana in her hand back in her jacket pocket.

Mal looks stunned.

After a bit... He reasons, "I...I thought... You mean you ain't Amber?"

The mystery woman faintly laughs.

Her voice suddenly becomes somewhat stiff...and faintly familiar.

River just faintly smiles knowingly to herself.

Before Mal or River can say something... Agent Mrs. Spiral whispers, "you're fine, Captain Reynolds. It's just customary for Norwegians to react that way to just hello."

Mal faintly smirks.

He adds, "oh. Glad we..."

Mal suddenly realizes, "ohh...gorram."

He moderately sighs in his hand.

Agent Mrs. Spiral can't help but ask, "all right. What did you do?"

Mal looks up.

His smirk has faded.

He admits, "ain't me I just thought of."

Over his radio earwig... Mal checks, "Jayne?"

River is doubling over over one of the chairs, laughing hard.

On the second floor...

There's dark pink cushioned circular private booths with purple and red curtains for anyone who comes, conversations muffled behind the curtains, sharp red moving LED lights in the dim light, red lit security scanner lights constantly sweeping the entrance and the Victorian faint green masonry polished walls, two open cage elevators with black bars, two bar areas with binocular styled screens over the bar counters, few bar stools, and cast Iridium stairways.

There's strippers, Companions, and others walking arm in arm with small groups of friends and plenty of glasses with beer.

From one of the groups... There's a young man with medium black hair.

He wears a tan T-shirt with a sun, surrounded by cartoon blue and purple swirled vacuum cleaners and swept up winds.

It says across it, "I love soaking up the sun: It keeps the flares dry."

The young man is saying, "so I told my wife: That's not muddied sheets from your massage therapist. That's a dirt nap you're walking from. And, don't set foot in this house until you let the rain wash away all the mud. The weather isn't bad tonight. But... Laugh. But, the mud still up in your brainpan is a good place to start."

His group of friends laughs hard over that.

They're heading to one of the bar areas to grab some drinks.

Along the way, they pass Zoe.

She is wearing her overcoat.

Over her radio earwig... Zoe cuttingly remarks, "nothing that ain't usual for him, sir."

She can't help but smile wide in amusement.

Jayne is doubled over...with a hand over between his legs.

He mutters out loud, "no it ain't! Just said hello to the woman... Violent groan. in my... Violent groan. ...usual manner."

He is wearing his army jacket.

Mal explains to Zoe over her radio earwig about what he just found out.

Sounding a little stunned... Zoe realizes, "oh."

Over her radio earwig... Zoe comments, "well... Faint laugh. Better him than you, sir."

Jayne coldly sneers at her.

With a faint chuckle... Mal replies, "true. Let me know if feds are coming."

Zoe figures, "I always do, sir."

Back on the first floor...

With a firm smile... Agent Mrs. Spiral observes, "seems you have things on your ship all covered."

At a whisper... Mal somewhat nervously admits, "well...not everything. River here has something to tell you."

River has stopped laughing hard. But, the slight amused smile on her face hasn't gone away.

She's quickly turning back to Agent Mrs. Spiral.

At a whisper... River reveals, "found the hiding base. It's not on a piece of galaxy. Rings around the sun."

She draws a imaginary circle with her finger around the center beer bottle on the middle part.

Agent Mrs. Spiral looks somewhat stunned.

She puts it together, "The Halo asteroid belt. Faint uneasy chuckle. That's why even we couldn't triangulate it. Good job."

Mal faintly smiles.

River is faintly beaming: Despite the teariness in her eyes now.

Some mental images are fluctuating rapidly in her mind:

Dust clouds gone and back around. Stars out among lightning like space anomalies and nebulas.

Turquoise tinted chambers in the dim light. Kids screaming and crying, strapped in chairs.

Then... Somberly... River says, "thank you. Sniffle. Hope not too late for them."

Mal firmly insists, "it ain't, little one."

River briefly smiles.

Agent Mrs. Spiral points out, "I do hope you're right, Captain Reynolds: Because... Moderate sigh. I'm sorry to tell you. But, our agents in the underground are spread too thin right now. You'll be on your own."

Mal very faintly nods.

Solemnly... He concludes, "I usual conjure it does. But, thank you for tellin' us straight out anyhow."

Solemnly... Agent Mrs. Spiral adds, "you're welcome."

But, what they don't see...is two electronic bugs on the ceiling.

There's one for each of the lounge areas.

In the far back... The small wires for the electronic bugs go to one of two dark blue tinted turntables.

The DJ at the turntables faintly grins.

His name is Carey Ashford. He has medium very dark blond hair, a mustache, and stubble around his face.

He also wears a neon light green and black plaid T-shirt and ripped black jeans.

Not long after...

Carey Ashford goes up to the second floor.

He goes into one of the circular private booths, carrying a audio Alli-Ray disc in a plastic case.

He closes the red curtains behind him.

Hints of a figure are seen as the curtains close.

From the shadow made from her hair against the light of the Chinese lantern above... It's at least down to her shoulders.

And... A familiar sounding voice cuttingly reflects, "so they lock River up in a dangerous game, took his crew back to hell, and tried to keep the inevitable death of innocent members of his crew from coming true just to try to fight The Academy? Hard sniffle! Talking with him clearly isn't a strong suit anymore. Hard sniffle! They'll all be killed for nothing if I...!"

She sniffles hard.

Her hand comes down hard and flat, brushing against the edge of a glass of wine.

The glass of red wine falls from the wooden table.

It shatters and spills on the smooth black tiled floor.

Carey Ashford asks, "umm...could I at least get my credits?"

He sounds real spooked.

The familiar sounding voice deeply sighs.

Then... She goes, "very well, Ashford. Take it then. And, never speak of these complicated things. You understand?"

Carey Ashford gulps nervously.

He is quick to say, "yes. Yes. Thank you, ma'am."

* * *

 _Act I_

Late that night, in River and Simon's bunk...

River is violently thrashing around in her bed.

In River's mind...

A whirlwind of rapid fire flashes and incoming rapid fire lines of neon dark blue and sky blue.

River's voice is going on and on:

There's danger from the sleepwalker people. I'm listening to them.

Hard sniffle! But, they can't hear.

The noise! So... Hard sniffle. So much pain!

It drowns you in your own fluids and spits out. A hemisphere circles...in death.

Hard sniffle. A hemisphere circles...for freedom.

They're...we're all too busy circling around to see everything! Hard sniffle. Kind of better for us not to see. But, I can't! I can't... Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! Can't help it!

Can't...see... Hard sniffle. So...much awakened pain! Hard sniffle. On Serenity... Off...

Hard sniffle!

They can't hide. Come out where I can see. Please. Please come out.

Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle!

Still have retinas and corneas. But, they...they bite with pain.

All the while... The flashes whirl on and on:

Bright very faint gray tinted window shutter styled filter over a Cortex screen.

A web of solid white atomic model closing in over a dark blue and dark reddish vine like structure.

Hints of a stethoscope off to the side. A whirling by circle of needles.

In both English and Chinese subtitles... The ad announces, "Professor Shun's ProTEK: Better Living Through Technology! Visit your local Alliance clinic for a free exam and ask your doctor about how you can receive your complimentary ProTEK injection for stable blood flow today."

Some doctors with light blue gowns and surgeon caps looking at blood samples in test tubes and studying green gel like liquid in a row of test tubes. A bald doctor with light blue gloves grinning at a printed out readout of a X-ray.

The window shutter filter rapidly disappears.

A Verse wide Alliance wave appears, done up all simple colored like a old fashioned computer game.

It's a sky blue digital file folder under thin dark blue lines with black letters in English and Chinese, a red banner with white letters in English and Chinese, and blocky blue sections around it all.

A announcer reads off of it, "any sightings of this "ghost station" are false. Any stations would be in pieces in asteroid belts. Do your patriotic duty. Stop the lies. Please turn suspicious citizens in to your local Alliance authorities for a reward of 45 credits each today."

A all too certain grayish gold lined rustic brown falcon saucer styled Academy vessel flying out in the black...through puffing out asteroid dust clouds and behind large asteroids.

Some distorted voices say, "The Alliance...is mother. The Alliance is...father."

A wave of static. Some very low whooing chones.

A very certain voice says, "things will no longer be looking up... Violent cough! ...for the Triad."

A basement styled room. A stark white sliding screens wall. Pieces of wood chairs and a fallen operating table.

Some loud choos. Some loud swishes of katanas.

Two Alliance Operatives wearing black gloves and open near white pink business jackets over black. One with mostly tied back medium slightly curly very dark brown hair holding a Katana. Another with a shaved bald head holding a Katana.

A mercenary of the Triad and his wife dropping their guns...clutching their dark red liquid dripping sides.

They both stumble down to the ground...coughing violently.

The Alliance Operatives are clutching their dark red liquid dripping sides. But, they stand their ground.

Then... A Alliance police officer fires.

A loud choo going off.

The bald Alliance Operative falls dead.

The Alliance police officer, turning out to be for the Triad, smugly smiles.

Tears fall from the first Alliance Operative's face. But...there's a chilling coldness in her eyes.

She cries out, "no! !"

A loud choo going off.

The Alliance Operative tumble dives past it.

She swiftly standing back up.

The Triad affiliated police officer going to violently punch her down.

The Alliance Operative catching his hand...and breaking it.

The Triad affiliated police officer stifles a scream.

A loud choo. A loud swish of a katana.

The Triad affiliated police officer drops his gun...clutching his dark red liquid dripping side.

Him falling to the ground, coughing violently.

The Alliance Operative swishing her katana in him again.

The Triad affiliated police officer lets out some violent gasps.

Some brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter coming out from his mouth.

And, with a slightly drawn out and kind of soft voice... The Alliance Operative mutters, "if you didn't kill my sweetie and partner, I wouldn't have to kill you quicker. Hard sniffle. But, I'm...I'm not as forgiving as he. I hope you never come back with your next life."

And, in the middle of her muttering... The Triad affiliated police officer is already dead.

A wave of static. Some very low whooing chones.

A mostly automated wave buzzing station in the black among many scattered through the Verse.

With Central Cortex Beacon relays, The Alliance has no need for a listening post. They automatically classify listening posts as wave buzzing stations.

Most of them little more than a single pressurized room with two metallic canteen styled antennae, dark reflective plating, the styled like a top disc shooter toy with a pullout trigger, waffle iron like bulkheads for lower center, and a network of hastily put together comms equipment.

Firefly class ships to Hanover class salvagers, shuttles, outlaws aplenty going in and out of the wave buzzing stations...and very dark blue tinted sniper gun targets on all of them.

Wave buzzing stations in fiery explosions, smoking off two way radios, and adrift burning corpses.

A mountainside on Dyton with wide patches of grass around the steep dusty soil. A forest called Eversly Forest further down. Snowy mountain caps far out from the mountainside.

A old abandoned inn with very pale green cobblestone, cobwebs, and a clock tower.

Badger and his armed men at a old mine entrance. Wood creaky planks holding up the entrance.

Them going in to cut a deal with some outlaws with radio themed helmets and rifles...and very dark blue tinted sniper gun targets on all of them.

Screams. A cloud of kicked up dust.

All of them lying dead before the mine entrance.

The Alliance prison satellite in orbit of Bellerophron. Many other Alliance prison satellites in key positions not far from the Core planets...and dark blue tinted sniper gun targets on all of them.

The prison satellites exploding in fiery explosions, smoking off two way radios, and adrift burning corpses.

A wave of static. Some very low whooing chones.

A dark red backdrop. A diagonally oriented storm of the word warning in black in the upper part.

Louder bursts of static. Some very low whooing chones.

With faint brown and black tinted words on screen... A computer voice automatically responds, "warning, warning! Data corrupti...on... Correction: No data corruption. Warning: Classified. Override access code?"

River seeing herself sitting upright on her bed, with the Alliance security dedicated Source Box in front of her.

She's putting in a password. But, it goes by so fast in a blur that it might as well be all X's.

The computer voice automatically responds, "welcome Agent Tallow. Access granted. Accessing Academy Project Hellhound Release... Accessing correlated video sessions..."

Flashes of the faces of students of the Hellhound Class.

Ada Pinnock has shoulder length very dark brown grimy hair. Lemuel Zhang has frontless medium black grimy hair and stubble. Wilamena Xu has short black grimy hair. Felix Sturgess has medium reddish blond grimy hair, and a gruff beard, and a gruff mustache.

And, in a creepy way... All of their distorted voices echo through in unison, "The Alliance...is mother. The Alliance is...father. Failure...is to give in to the voices...the voices in all of us. Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle! They...they speak of grave wrongs! Faint laugh. Very faint laugh. Mother...father...we'll make you proud."

They echo through the next set of flashes.

River being surprise attacked by Ada Pinnock and knocked unconscious behind some crates in the Serenity cargo hold, Ada carrying a unconscious River back to her black shuttle, the floorplan like readout in Ada's shuttle showing a course set back for The Academy, and Ada running there very fast.

Several loud choos from behind her...and none of the shots hitting her.

A airlock closing, Zoe forcefully swinging it back open...and Ada sharply turning around with a all too shiny black rifle.

A lot of loud choos.

Jayne, Zoe, Simon, Kaylee, Wash... All shot.

All near dying or dead on the catwalks over the cargo hold. Dark red liquid around their bodies.

And, on the last part of the distorted echoes from the Hellhound Class...

With every word they utter, their heads and necks are violently shaking.

They're struggling to hold back storms of tears with their shaky hands over their eyes.

And... They eerily half smile into The Academy's camera feeds.

Laughter and sobs burst from them.

Uncontrollably loud laugher and sobs.

Outside of the mental images...

River rips apart the covers in half with her bare hands.

She sniffles hard.

She cries out, "please! Sob. Sob. Please...make...it...stop!"

Her eyes are still closed.

She grabs up the covers in her sleep, holding them up like bucklers.

She tries to hold back the flashes going by in her head with them.

Simon quickly stirs from his sleep...hearing the seams of River's bed covers loudly tear apart.

River is sitting up.

She's sobbing loudly.

Between the sobs... River is murmuring, "they bite with pain. Please... Please... Make them stop!"

Teary eyed... Simon calls out, "River! You got to wake up. River!"

Simon nervously gulps.

But, firmly but gently... He moves his hands down her arms to try to hold her back.

The very thought of Simon trying to hold her back snaps River back to reality.

River falls back on the bed.

She lets out some heavy sighs and sobs.

She's slowly but surely coming to.

Then... She finally opens her eyes.

Teary eyed... River realizes, "Simon. Simon!"

Many built up tears and dried tears escape down the sides of her eyes.

She hugs him tight.

Simon hugs her back.

River very faintly smiles knowingly.

They then pull apart.

Simon is apparently also sitting on the edge of River's bed.

Simon checks in concern, "are you all right? Was it the mean captain taking you outside this time?"

River gives him a disapproving look.

River kind of cryptically insists, "no. He gets lost in the wardrobe of his sins. Hard sniffle. Almost all black suits and ties."

She then somewhat nervously fiddles with her hands.

Simon admits, "sorry. But... Moderate sigh. But, that does not really make me feel better."

River tries to assure, "he is not always a nightmare. But... Hard sniffle. But..."

Solemnly... Simon recalls, "but you just had a nightmare."

Very shakily all a sudden... River faintly nods, "hm-hmm."

She sniffles hard, looking down with her arms over her head.

She sobs and sobs loudly.

Shakily... Simon concludes, "my god. Hard sniffle. What...what hurt you in your nightmare, River?"

He casually strokes her hair.

River slowly but surely stops sobbing.

River starts revealing, "not Mal. Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! Hellhounds Release. They... Hard sniffle. They want..."

She suddenly sobs loudly.

She's looking down with her arms over her head as she does.

Simon realizes, "the new class?"

Very shakily... River very faintly nods.

She goes, "hm-hmm. Seen them."

She looks up.

She puts down her arms by her sides.

She sniffles hard.

More somber sounding than she's ever sounded... River continues, "Academy broke their...their brains worse than mine. Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! Badger...Mal...Inara... Everyone. Hunted! Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! Hunted by them. We try to stop them first. But, they can't! Can't...can't stop themselves!"

She suddenly sobs loudly.

She's looking down with her arms over her head as she does.

Simon looks very shook now.

Some tears fall from his face. But, he doesn't even notice.

He tries to put a arm around River. But, her arms are over her head before he can.

Then... River looks up.

She puts her arms back down.

River continues, "they...they want to be free and make themselves stones where they can't be found again from the pots, pans... Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! Hands of blue. Hard sniffle! Serum 3KK-9."

There's a nerve wracking silence.

Then... Simon points out, "River, you... Hard sniffle! You've never ever seen the future that vivid before. I just...I'm sorry. I have to know, River. Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. How can you...?"

But... River very faintly smiles.

She puts a somewhat comforting and shaky hand on his.

Solemnly... River explains, "Simon, I...I can tell. It's okay for me. Hellhound class. Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. They can see what I see. But, they don't know all of it either. Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! Don't know if...if... Hard sniffle! Sob. Still have retinas and corneas. But, they bite with pain!"

She sobs. She sniffles hard.

And... River says, "they bite... Hard sniffle! They bite with pain."

Simon tries to assure, "shh. It's okay. I'm here."

He hugs her tight.

With a faint smile... River says, "I know, Simon."

Simon very faintly smiles.

They kind of slowly pull away.

Then... The faint smile fades from River's face.

River asks, "are you?"

Confused... Simon wonders, "what? Am I what?"

Still teary eyed... River asks, "you trust the underground? Hard sniffle. Or, are not leaving lamp posts on for them either?"

Simon mostly assures, "no mei-mei. No: I trust Mrs. Spiral. The underground helped me get you out of The Academy. Nothing had gone wrong the last time you met Mrs. Spiral. That in itself is good for me."

River's expression lightens some.

Nervously... River points out, "all right. But...but, you still don't completely trust the captain. Still don't comprehend."

Real nervous... Simon explains, "he... Moderate sigh. He is more psychotic. But, he also is not...psychotic. Moderate sigh. I guess it's hard to describe without knowing more about his story. But, he never really gets close to anyone else. Faint laugh. Well...can you actually see me getting any close to home with the captain without getting punched by him?"

River laughs at that.

River wonders, "do you want to know his good and bad qualities? Heavy sigh. Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. Wouldn't want to tell on him where his secret hiding place is. But... Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle! She can't stop from reading the brains of everyone she sees. Hard sniffle. Not always."

Simon bittersweetly smiles.

Simon mostly assures, "I know, mei-mei. I know. It's going to be okay."

They're casually holding hands.

And... They sit there on the bed like that for who knows how long.

The next morning, in Simon and River's bunk...

River is feeling groggy...and she knew all too well why.

She tried to just go to sleep: To push the nightmares well enough away to think on them later like she usually did.

But, this time... Simon had to give her a high dose of a sedative to help her sleep.

River is sitting upright on her bed, with the Alliance security dedicated Source Box in front of her.

She's been thinking to herself and deeply sighing in frustration for hours. Blurry afterimages and distant nightmares have kept piercing her focus.

They only now are beginning to be less blurry and distant.

Then... River very faintly laughs.

She very faintly smiles.

And, now... She's putting in the password very fast.

The password is:

TCPL888-DE-CK2.

The computer voice automatically responds, "welcome Agent Tallow. Access granted. Accessing Academy Project Hellhound Release... Accessing correlated video sessions..."

Flashes of the faces of the four students of the Hellhound Class come up on screen. But, on

River keep clicking and scrolling through with some of her fingers on the screen.

More goes by on screen: Of them strapped in silvery blackish operating chairs with drills coming eerily close to their eyes, of screams, coughing violently and grasping out at arms, of their profiles on government files on smoothed gray windows over near black purple Cortex screens, of them violently shaking and struggling to keep walking around the spherical corridors in their first days of getting the serum, erratically spiking green tinted brain waves on medical monitors, putting their hands on small Alliance Intelligence handprint scanners disguised as white hardcover books, their eerie echoes of each other, of science and art projects "for academy graduation" from several years ago and now that are really made before the students begin to exhibit violent behavior, of being interrogated in dim light while they violently shake and hunch over...and of the Hellhound Class shooting each other in the sides with black pistols as target practice with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter from their sides.

Halfway through... River is sobbing loudly.

She's looking down with her arms over her head as she does.

She's just realized for sure it's not just in her head.

Later that morning, in the galley on Serenity...

River is making her way to the table, with Simon kind of accompanying her.

Simon is a little teary eyed. So is River.

Simon is wearing his long sleeved faintly dark tinted blue sweatshirt.

River is wearing her dark reddish orange fancy yet low cut dress.

Her stomach is growling something fierce. But, her focus has already come back in full.

River insists, "I'm fine now. Heavy sigh. Faint sniffle. Just have to eat, and..."

She slightly puts up a hand toward Simon as she does.

Mal comments, "kind of late for eatin', little one."

He's the only other one there at the table.

He's near done with a small bowl of leftover broth and noodles.

He is in his tan brown undershirt under his trouser straps.

Simon is already checking the refrigerator for leftover broth and noodles.

As it turns out, there's a full leftover bowl with a scent of strawberries around it.

Simon can't help but very faintly laugh to himself. For, he knows who left it for River.

The whole ship shakes hard some.

Mal soon straightens up: Almost like he didn't just come to eat late too.

Mal starts to point out, "you know, Kaylee left a..."

Simon brings out the leftover bowl from the refrigerator.

He adds, "thank you. But, I think I already know. This is for River?"

Sounding a little amused... Mal answers, "yeah. Kaylee left it for her."

Simon and River very faintly smile.

Mal is about to ask something. But, Simon brings it up first.

Nervously... Simon tries to explain, "I...I'm not certain if River can explain it better or if I can."

Mal nervously sighs into his hand.

He looks up.

He wonders, "River? Why don't you weigh in?"

The whole ship shakes hard some.

There's a loud bang. But, it strangely seems to be ignored.

River thinks out loud, "Academy weighs on... Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! ...on me... On... Hard sniffle! So...much pain! Hard sniffle. On Serenity... Off... Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! We...we're all too busy circling around to see everything! Hard sniffle. Kind of better for us not to see. But, I can't! I can't help it! I...!"

And... She breaks down sobbing over the back of a chair.

Mal looks shook.

He tries to apologize, "doc, I...I ain't meant to..."

He somewhat cautiously moves over toward River. But, he looks all the more concerned.

Simon slightly turns back to face Mal.

He mostly assures him, "it's not you, captain. She... Heavy sigh. I think we're getting closer to The Academy."

The whole ship shakes hard some.

After a while of this... Mal's small bowl of broth smashes on the floor.

Bits of it splatter too.

Mal warily figures, "what make you say that? There's so much gorram rocks out and all-intended spinnin' Serenity about just to keep her flying. We ain't even close far as I..."

The whole ship shakes hard some again.

Simon starts to explain more, "Her latest nightmares are more intense. She..."

After a bit... Mal points out, "you were just 'bout to tell me?"

Awkward and not all at once... Simon apologizes, "sorry. I just... Hard sniffle. It's hard for me to think about as well."

He's finding it hard to look up.

Mal firmly pushes, "try harder, doctor. We ain't got much time out here."

With mixed feelings... Simon highlights, "I am trying. Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. She...she says the new class are like her: Gifted teenagers. And, they... Hard sniffle! Their brains are broken worse than her. What I don't understand or want to understand is how the hell could it be worse."

Mal gulps real nervously.

River is kind of slowly looking up from the chair all on her own.

But... She's still sobbing some.

Mal tries to tell Simon, "it's coming from your sister. I take it it better if you don't, doctor."

Solemnly... Simon comments back, "yeah. Well, I'm afraid she usually is right about these things. Not like I have a real choice not to find out."

Mal gives him a grim look.

He heavily sighs.

Real nervous... He figures, "I ain't arguin' that point. And, if...if she ain't have to be sedated..."

Usually, he wasn't this nervous about sedating River. But, this was quickly becoming a very nervous day.

Simon is somewhat quick to conclude, "I'm sorry. I...I already have heavily sedated her just to help her sleep. I wouldn't recommend it right now."

Suddenly... River speaks up, "I... Faint sob. I'll be okay enough. I can tell everyone."

She's standing mostly still now, with some violent shaking.

Some silent tears fall.

Mal grimly nods.

Simon puts sympathetic hands on hers.

He checks, "are you sure, River?"

River very faintly nods.

Simon very faintly smiles in mixed relief.

He brings over the bowl of broth and noodles for River to the stove to start reheating it.

Mal concludes, "okay. Wash can't stay away from piloting for much as a minute though: 'less we land on a nice enough rock in The Halo. So, we'll have to..."

He starts to walk out of the galley.

But, just then... Simon turns toward him from behind the stove.

Simon suggests, "would a crater be nice enough for us? I'd feel better if we at least tried to still have a ship left."

He gets out some oven mitts from a back drawer.

He puts them down off by the stove for the sake of convenience.

Mal faintly laughs. He comments, "you ain't the only one, doctor. Ain't keen on dentin' Serenity more so than already is. But, that ain't a bad idea of yours."

He kind of points back to him on the last part.

With a very faint smile... Simon adds, "thank you."

Mal tells him, "you're welcome. You and your sister stay here. I'll have you know soon as we land or die from it."

Very sarcastically... Simon calls back lowly, "yeah. Great."

Mal starts to fast walk down the hall.

He briefly faintly smirks back at Simon.

River faintly smirks herself.

Then... Mal continues to fast walk down to the cockpit.

He casually calls out, "Wash!"

Around and through Serenity's hull... There's some big dents and a few nasty scrapes in the side.

Out in the black... Serenity is fly diving, climbing, and swerving...past huge asteroids.

Asteroids circling about and crashing into each other. Puffing out dust clouds. Upwinds of asteroid chunks coming down and scraping against the side of Serenity.

The White Sun's light is but a distant sparkling halo in the asteroid dust.

In the cockpit...

Wash is wearing a long sleeved ghostly near white blue shirt with black swans and red Hawaiian fauna splotches over a tan orange formal shirt. He also has his dark tan pants on.

He's been staring out at asteroids in the pilot's seat for hours.

He hears Mal's hurried footsteps.

Wash doesn't even turn around.

He casts a free arm out toward the dust clouds and upwinds of asteroid chunks.

Real irritated... Wash goes, "really, really big rocks. Was no one listening to me about the really big rocks?! I'm just trying to have us not all die! Where the hell is this flying saucer anyway, Mal?! The gas is near out, and..."

Mal starts to say, "Wash..."

He's standing behind him.

Wash briefly turns to him.

He cries out lowly, "what?!"

Just as quick... He turns back to piloting.

Serenity hard turns out of the dust clouds.

Serenity hard swerves between two asteroids just before they collide.

Wash figures, "unless it means setting the ship down with a brilliant landing, I can't really talk right now!"

Sounding unphased... Mal tries to assure, "it's what me and the doctor were thinking, Wash. Just find a nice crater of rock for us to land."

Wash comments, "you know what? You're right. Faint laugh. Why didn't I think of that? He is a criminal mastermind."

He sounds amused all of a sudden.

He briefly turns back to Mal.

They both faintly smile.

Mal comments offhandedly, "yeah. Maybe he really is one."

Not long after...

Serenity had landed deep down in a crater in a asteroid. A asteroid big as a whole moon.

Its craters are wedged in darkness...between floating off little shards of the ship and a still Serenity.

Back in the galley...

A eerie silence fills the galley.

The crew is gathered around the table.

Everyone is on the verge of tears. Even Mal.

Jayne is not in his jacket now. He's in his T-shirt with 28 in a white circle and jigsaw like flames to the sides.

Kaylee is wearing her low cut golden T-shirt with red and purplish white flowers and her light blue open vest with a heart traced over it. She also has her tan army styled low cut jeans on.

Zoe is not in her overcoat now. She's in her low cut faint brown tan dress with little smoke trail swirls.

Somberly... Zoe reflects, "zài zhànzhēng zhōng zuì zāogāo de fǔlàn de gǔtou hé ròutǐ. Hard sniffle. They're just kids."

Some tears fall from her face.

Solemnly... Mal figures, "I know, Zoe. I ain't shootin' them. But, we ain't gonna walk away from this."

Jayne bangs his fists hard on the table.

The table shakes hard some.

He mutters under his breath, "gorramit, Mal! I ain't like the idea neither. But... But, how else do we keep the feds from gettin' even more gung ho now? Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! How do we?"

Everyone gulps real nervously.

After a bit... River suggests, "can see what they see too. Very faint chuckle. Can get in their brains with enough focus. But, not that simple."

Yet, she sounds a little better already.

Jayne questions, "how you mean? Thought you was a scary little mind readin' kid or somethin'."

River comments, "I am."

She gives Jayne a small devious grin.

Jayne is getting red in the face. He is huffing something fierce.

He angrily cries out, "why, you little...!"

He's charging right for her with his bare hands.

But... Mal and Zoe swiftly stand in his way.

They already have drawn out their guns.

Wash looked about ready to get up: So he could be back up for Zoe.

But, just as quick... He sat back down in a very awkward manner.

With a heated glare... Mal warns, "Jayne! Stand down. Now."

Jayne stands back. But, he's still huffing something fierce.

River and Kaylee break down sobbing. But, for mostly different reasons.

River's recent nightmares of The Academy still plague her mind.

Simon is calculating the quickest exit he and River can take if things get even worse.

He gulps real nervously as he does.

Jayne argues, "what?! I know it ain't simple as I like. But, I mean... Heavy sigh. How you damn sure she ain't one of them Hellhounds?"

Zoe sighs heavily into her hand.

Angrily... Simon shoots back, "tsway-niou! She's my sister. How dare you!"

He's about to impulsively charge for Jayne.

Zoe sharply looks up...ready to shoot on Mal's order.

Sounding very stern... Mal just says, "Simon...I'll straighten him out. Go sit with your sister."

He doesn't even take his eyes off Jayne as he does.

Simon reluctantly mutters, "fine."

After a bit... He sits down next to River.

Mal addresses Jayne, "Jayne...I am only gonna tell you this once. She ain't a Hellhound. Dong ma?"

Jayne heavily sighs. But...he's no longer huffing.

With some mixed feelings... He concludes, "yah. That good and all. But..."

Mal urges him to continue, "but..."

Jayne brings up, "but, most all held back annoying is slight more annoyin' as me knowin'."

Mal moderately sighs into his hand.

After a bit... He looks up.

Mal checks, "do me and Zoe really have to send you both to your bunks now?"

Real nervous all a sudden... Jayne answers, "nah. Nah, Mal. We need all the gun hands we can to go after The Academy. Heavy sigh. Hard sniffle. I'll behave long as she does. All right?"

Mal, Zoe, and Simon are still heatedly glaring at him.

But... Mal just faintly nods in acknowledgment.

Zoe, Wash, Kaylee, and River moderately sigh in relief.

Zoe and Mal put away their guns.

The teariness in Kaylee's and River's eyes is starting to dry up.

River breaks through the near silence, "sorry. Hard sniffle. Can't not feel. A bright light for all to look. Ironic you carry it with a gun. Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. We today even."

She faintly smiles.

Jayne goes a little red in the face.

With mixed feelings... Jayne admits, "aw hell. Now you real apologizin' to me fer something that ain't even just one of our faults. Hard sniffle. Weren't ready none for it."

Faint laughs and faint chuckles fill the galley. Even Mal and Simon are faintly chuckling and laughing.

With a faint smile... Kaylee wonders, "wait. I'm happy we are gettin' along and all. But, what are you...?"

Zoe pieces together, "a grenade off Vera would be enough. It would have to be far enough not to hurt the kids. But..."

Mal realizes, "but it's a good enough plan."

Everyone faintly smirks and smiles.

Just then... And, out of the blue... River rants, "they're...we're all too busy circling around to see everything! Hard sniffle. Kind of better for us not to see. But, I can't! I can't... Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! Wave on Cortex. For you."

She shakily points toward Mal and Zoe on the last part.

Mal and Zoe look kind of spooked. Everyone else in the room looks too stunned for words right this minute.

Soon, in the cockpit...

With a storm of mixed feelings... Mal murmurs, "I...I..."

Very much in shock... Zoe says under her breath, "oh...my god."

They are on the verge of tears. But, for a whole other reason.

On the Cortex screen... There is a all too familiar face in a very dimly lit room.

A violently shaking some Inara...strapped in a silvery blackish operating chair.

She's in a all white hospital gown.

And... Blue tipped silvery neurological sticks with red wires are suction cupped around her head.

* * *

 _Act II_

Inara voices:

Mal... Zoe, I... I only came without a fight to save River.

Hard sniffle! Sob! Sob!

As payment, I...I take her place in the dark room.

My epidplasa, my experiences... Hard sniffle. ...and my training greatly attractive to candidacy for hell creating student.

At least this way, you... Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! You can live for another fight in the school.

You can't beat them, Mal. Not now.

Hard sniffle! Sob! Hard sniffle! Sob!

Give you anything you and Serenity need to leave The Halo in one piece. Just...please!

Hard sniffle! Sob! Hard sniffle! Sob!

Run!

Mal and Zoe didn't even hear Simon come in. They were that much in shock.

He couldn't help but feel more cautious than usual for himself and for his sister.

Now... Now he's just gone wide eyed in complete shock.

He's on the verge of tears himself.

Nervous... Mal voices out, "umm... Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. Just...just give us a minute to turn out and about how this is gonna go now. Hard sniffle! That's ain't stallin' much, Inara. God damn all of this! Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! I'm...I'm bein' truthsome with you."

Some silent tears fall from his and Zoe's faces. But, they try hard to act like it's nothing.

There's a pained silence.

Inara deeply sighs. She concludes, "all right. Hard sniffle! Hope...hope you know what you're..."

Suddenly... a black gloved hand cuts off the feed.

Simultaneously... Some held back pained tears fall from Inara's face.

Zoe and Mal face each other from slightly opposite sides of the cockpit.

Zoe checks, "sir... Hard sniffle! You...you think she was forced at gunpoint first?"

Mal concludes, "no. That ain't what I real concerned of. You seen how she was talking? It gorram hell ain't natural like!"

For the first time... Zoe isn't all sure what kind of look to give.

She heavily sighs.

And... She starts to realize, "oh god. You think...?"

Mal gulps real nervously.

He answers, "I do."

Simon exclaims, "what?! Hard sniffle! That...that can't be...!"

Tears are falling down his face. But, he doesn't seem to care.

Mal pinpoints, "brainpan got all washed up. Don't know how. But... Hard sniffle! Reckon it ain't far from your sister if we don't get her back in time. Could be you been thinkin' the same thing."

Real nervously... Simon heavily sighs.

Then... He reveals, "yes. I have. I... Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! Heavy sigh. I just really cannot believe Inara has just handed herself over to..."

Zoe puts a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

Suddenly... River comes up.

She's on the verge of tears.

She's looking down.

Somberly... River murmurs loudly, "it's not her."

Mal heavily sighs. He tries to assure, "I know it ain't really her, little one. I got to bring her back."

River faintly glares, facing him.

Sounding all annoyed... River cries out, "you boob! It's not her."

That alone rattled Mal.

He sniffles hard.

Some pained tears fall from all four of their faces.

Mal assumes, "that's where you're wrong this time. Probable reason really is you ain't want to believe it yourself."

He sharply turns to Simon.

Mal orders, "Simon, tend to your sister. Last thing we need on this adventure is more dead crazy right now."

Simon starts to say, "I..."

He heavily sighs. He reluctantly agrees, "yes. I understand. Hard sniffle. Come on, River."

Simon goes over to River, offering a hand to her.

River deeply sighs.

She hesitates...looking down.

Mal starts to go over to her to nudge her along himself.

But... River soon takes Simon's hand.

She lets Simon take her back to their bunk.

Just as they're about to though... River is glancing back to Mal.

River is solemnly murmuring, "he doesn't."

But, Mal and Zoe aren't even hearing her.

They're tensely discussing plans.

A few hours later, in The Academy's mobile station base...

Numerous ultra wide angle scanner arch styled Alliance scanner panels casting red light beams down and solid white crudely opened up smoke detector styled Alliance aggression sign detectors are on the ceiling. All too certain Alliance Intelligence handprint scanners on little wood tables before bolted metal doors to the sides of the five seemingly endless rings of naval ship modeled spherical corridors.

The top deck is a large pool styled cargo bay lined with whole fiberglass biodomes with trees, grass...and all too certain exhibits "for academy graduation" surrounded by black catwalk like railing.

The exhibits for this year go from a very dark gold CortexVR helmet with a built in gas mask and a web of suction cupped blue wires for full body monitoring to a Alliance sonic rifle with a attached small stark red computer box that only fires if a Alliance Commander or Alliance Lieutenant gives voice activated authorization to fire.

The cargo bay's walls and ceiling are made of near white blue and dark neon blue checkered tiles. Numerous ultra wide angle scanner arch styled Alliance scanner panels are on the ceiling.

The cargo bay also has a voice command activated system of gray sprinklers that can spray the whole deck in greenish liquidated poison gas, voice command activated naval ship modeled airlocks...and at least ten all too faintly familiar looking Wraith class Alliance Intelligence crescent shaped black ships.

Mal is thinking to himself:

 _ **We get in, get the gas we need, and get out with the kids and Inara. Mighty secret sins waiting for us.**_

 _ **Seriously though... I...I hope we do all make it back to Serenity.**_

 _ **Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle!**_

 _ **Now...we're boardin' us a flyin' ghost station.**_

No radio earwigs, not even a whisper... Everything had to be planned well in advance.

Fortunately... River seemed to have all the answers.

Four Alliance Intelligence officers wearing formal very dark blue business suits and black gloves are stoically standing by.

Wash is filling up the engine with gas The Academy gave them. Kaylee and Simon are making some repairs around the dents inside of the vents with some metal construction beams forcing them outward. And, Zoe, Mal, and Jayne are outside bolting in some quick fix metal construction beams on the outside.

Nervously... Kaylee goes through her pockets to look for some more bolts.

But... She lets one of River's kind of unfolded readouts on cerebral testing fall to the floor.

Kaylee goes to quickly put it back in her pocket.

But... The first Alliance Intelligence officer yanks it away.

With a faint smug smile... He concludes, "so you brought us a gift before you part. How thoughtful. I presume this is one of River Tam's test results?"

Kaylee heatedly glares at him.

She's about to say something.

But, then... The Alliance Intelligence officer falls unconscious.

He lands on the vent floor with a loud thud.

Simon has just injected him with a needle to knock him out by surprise.

He and Kaylee very faintly smile knowingly to each other.

Kaylee can't help but chuckle loudly some.

The second Alliance Intelligence officer is about to call out to the voice activated sprinkler system over his comlink.

From inside a vent overhead... River kicks down the apparently loose vent grate she's been holding up.

She spreads out her arms and legs fast to keep herself from falling down with it.

A loud bang.

The incoming vent grate knocks out the Alliance Intelligence officer in a second.

River told Wash earlier to make sure the Alliance Intelligence officer stood exactly below it.

Wash can't help but laugh, almost doubling over.

Then... His grin quickly fades.

In a knowing way... He heavily sighs.

He opens out his arms.

River comes down...taking down Wash from the sheer impact of her fall.

Wash groans violently. River groans hard some.

River kind of quickly gets back up.

Wash is on his side, still groaning violently.

Between the violent groans... Wash mutters under his breath, "yeah. That... My back probably killed. But, I'm fine! I'm fine! Why don't you guys next just lie me down on the mast?!"

River winces.

A little teary eyed... She whispers, "sorry! But, you live. Be right here for you. Hard sniffle. Simon look after you after."

She sits down right by him.

She very quickly presses her strategically placed fingers down on some pressure points on his flaring up side.

Wash lets out a huge sigh of relief.

The pain is still there. But, it feels very faint to him now.

With a smile... Wash says, "thanks."

River faintly smiles knowingly.

Meanwhile... The two Alliance Intelligence officers outside Serenity faintly heard a certain loud bang.

They are about ready to check the ship...when Mal, Zoe, and Jayne catch them with their backs turned well enough.

Mal clocks one of them with a construction beam in his hand. Jayne kicks the fourth down by the leg. And, Zoe clocks him with her custom made rifle in both hands before he can get up.

Both agents fall unconscious.

They land on the deck with some loud thuds.

Mal casually throws the construction beam away.

In a second... Alarms go off with loud chime like chones.

But, there's no one conscious left on deck to give out the voice command to the poison gas sprinkler system.

Mal, Jayne, and Zoe run for one of the two ghostly dark blue lined mostly black elevators.

Both elevators are already coming up fast. They're both at the center of the deck.

But... Jayne and Zoe quickly throw some grenades for the second elevator.

The second elevator's roof burns up fast in flames and smoke...along with the cable lines for the elevator.

Several Alliance Intelligence agents scream.

The second elevator crashes back down...exploding in a fireball into the center of the second deck.

The first elevator door opens.

In the elevator... Several Alliance Intelligence agents are standing there with black Alliance issue pistols.

Jayne run charges in...tackling one of them into three others.

River told them that if he counted to five for it, it would be the best time to. She had foreseen it.

Several loud choos go off.

Some agents are clutching their dark red liquid dripping shoulders. For, some other agents accidentally hit them instead.

Violent groans and hard groans fill the elevator.

In a second... Mal and Zoe come charging in from the sides of the elevator.

Jayne strangles the officer he tackled down.

Brief flashes of dark red liquid around his mouth.

And, in a violent cough... He's dead.

The elevator door closes.

Mal punches out one of the guys to the side.

Zoe shoots another down.

Jayne gets back up. So do the three from the elevator floor.

Mal shoots one of them in the side with his Liberty Hammer pistol.

He groans violently, clutching his dark red liquid dripping side.

With their fists... Mal, Zoe, and Jayne make quick work of the three agents left.

They all fall unconscious.

More loud thuds.

With a faint smirk... Mal presses the silvery down arrow button.

He remarks, "everything to go according to plan for once. Faint chuckle. You know, I think I could faint."

Zoe faintly laughs. Jayne laughs hard some.

Zoe takes off some of the agents's electronic keys from their persons.

Jayne draws out his Smith and Wesson 945 pistol.

The elevator goes down to the second deck.

Quickly dissipating smoke fills the center corridor. But, the fire sprinklers already put out the flames.

All the smoke and the burnt elevator debris is confusing most of the scanner ceiling panels.

All four metal bolted doors rise up in the corridor.

The four members of the Hellhound class are coming from all four openings.

They all are aiming for them...with Alliance issue machine guns like they're lightweight.

Zoe and Jayne stay in the soon dissipating blanket of smoke, ready to fire.

Mal breaks into a run down the lower left bend in the corridor.

Teary eyed... Jayne mutters, "gorramit! Hard sniffle. Them kids ain't havin' ain't shootin' 'em go easy!"

A lot of loud choos.

It doesn't even make holes in the spherical corridor. The bullets just kind of bounce off.

Over the machine gun fire... And, teary eyed... Mal calls out, "qīn'ài de tiāntáng zhī shén! Readin' clear go both ways!"

Mal outruns most of the machine gun fire.

But... His side is riddled with some bullets.

He's coughing violently.

Dark red liquid starts to seep through his shirt. He's clutching his side, bent over.

His vision starts to blur.

Zoe and Jayne duck behind opposite sides of the elevator for cover.

The elevator is riddled with holes.

Teary eyed... Zoe calls back, "does look damn unlucky for us, sir! Sir?"

Mal is struggling just to stay conscious.

Zoe's voice sounds more distant now. And, he doesn't answer.

He somewhat shakily puts in the electronic key for the metal bolted door by him.

It rises up.

A very dim light.

Mal presses on...pulling himself in the room some with one hand.

Mal calls out in worry, "Inara? Violent cough! God damn The Alliance. Inara?!"

He sees Inara still in the operating chair...still violently shaking some and sweaty.

Very nervous... She asks, "Mal?"

Some tears fall from both of their faces.

Mal answers, "yeah. Violent cough! I came to get you out. Stay with me, Inara. Stay awake. We're..."

Somewhat shakily... He slides the electronic key in a key slot in a stark gray terminal.

It makes a low chone.

Inara's metal restraint cuffs retract away.

More tears fall from her face. Sobs.

All of a sudden... She somewhat shakily pulls out her Ruger Mk II pistol.

The metal bolted door slams down...locking them in from outside.

And, in a creepy way... Inara somberly murmurs, "Mal, I... Hard sniffle! I warned you to run."

She gets up from the chair...letting the suction cupped silvery neurological sticks fall and swing down on their very wiring.

The silvery neurological sticks chime and bang hard against the chair.

Mal is wide eyed and open mouthed...completely shocked and teary eyed.

* * *

 _Act III_

They're both breaking down in tears and violent coughs.

Inara violently shakes all over just trying to keep her arm with her pistol down.

Between the sobs and violent coughs... Inara voices, "The Academy... I...I can't stop myself! So...much pain in me! Electrically shocked. Almost completely drowning. I...I feel so much more than I wanted to. Mal...Mal, please: Please kill me before... ...before I can't live with myself."

With a pained sounding cry... Mal tackles her down to the floor.

Inara's pistol goes flying out of her hand...further out into the dim light.

In that second... And, on uncontrollable impulse... Inara violently punches Mal back with her free hand.

Mal falls to his side, coughing violently.

His pistol goes flying out of his hand...further out into the dim light.

His vision is blurring faster.

With a storm of mixed feelings... Mal cries out, "stop this! Hard sniffle! This...this ain't a bit like you! Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! I can't...I can't cut loose! Hard sniffle! Please. No. Faint sob. Faint sob! Please don't make me do this."

Meanwhile...

The Hellhound class is reloading their machine guns like disjointed clockwork.

Their heads and necks are violently shaking.

They eerily half smile.

Uncontrollable laughter and sobs burst from them.

Zoe calls out, "Jayne...now!"

Jayne sprint jumps up.

And, over the elevator... He throws one of Vera's gold custom grenades in the air.

A big explosion of flash, acid, and smoke harmlessly fills the elevator shaft.

The Hellhound class suddenly groans...trying and failing to shield their eyes.

And, with two way mind reading... They now just see River in the bright white flash: Like a angel before them.

Teary eyed... River highlights, "we can kill with our brains. But...we can also heal with our brains. Please god... Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. Make us pretty stones in the waterfall. Faint chuckle. Chisel it, sculpt it...find yours. Hard to. But... Hard sniffle. Please. Please help me help you."

She offers a hand to them.

All four students are struggling to hold back storms of tears with their shaky hands over their eyes.

Storms of tears fall from River's face, hunched over some.

From the minds of the four students of the Hellhound class... Flashes whirl on and on:

Ada Pinnock looking in a handheld mirror and wondering if she's going crazy from 3KK-9, violently smashing the mirror down, dark red liquid starting to seep around glass pieces around her hand, ready to kill herself with a machine gun aimed at her head...and breaking down sobbing and letting it fall.

Lemuel Zhang trying to drink his troubles away with a box of alcohol he stole from the cargo bay, almost drowning in a lake by some kid bullies a year ago, strangled one to death in the water, personality split in two, one personality with cold precision and a passion for turning central news thinboxes into computer hardwire, one personality with innocence and likes to go out just to take in fresh air... All churned worse for him by serum 3KK-9.

Wilamena Xu playing with manufactured cheap toy Independent ships in her room, charging pretty coin to kids on the black market to make them just as good as The Alliance toy ships, a eccentric spin on them making them shiny and unique, running with sirens going off outside her house, The Academy coercing her to join The Academy in exchange for not getting arrested, nervous twitching ever since that day... All churned worse for her by serum 3KK-9.

Felix Sturgess growing a gruff beard and mustache, running away and passing off as a janitor to Alliance schools, killing Alliance students one by one, taking down security cameras every time, The Academy coercing him to join the Academy in exchange for not getting arrested, nervous twitching ever since that day... All churned worse for him by serum 3KK-9.

Ada, Lemuel, and Wilamena kind of slowly reach out to River's hand.

Felix mentally burns to death from Lemuel's and Ada's cold stares...with his mental image evaporating in the light.

River faintly beams. Ada, Lemuel, and Wilamena very faintly beam back.

Out in the physical, back with Inara and Mal...

Between the sobs and violent coughs... Inara voices, "I'm...I'm really sorry...for everything we put each other through."

She violently punches at Mal.

They're now exchanging punches, side tumbling some on the floor.

But, suddenly... Mal punches what sounds like a little metal machine.

Inara falls hard on her back.

Mal reactively clutches his throbbing hand.

He coughs violently.

In some bizarre electronic distortions... Inara says, "but...I can't stop...myself..."

Mal looks furious.

He rips off a voice makifier from under her hospital gown.

They're exchanging punches again.

A wig falls in the scuffle.

The figure's medium slightly curly very dark brown hair lets loose.

It's not really Inara: It's been Alliance Operative Lisbeth Tallow all along.

They're both coughing violently for real now...falling unconscious fast.

Lisbeth declares, "it doesn't...matter now. Dead or alive, your...your life as Malcolm Reynolds ends...he...re..."

She struggles to breathe.

Brief flashes of dark red liquid around her mouth.

And, in a violent cough... Lisbeth is dead.

The metal bolted door rises up.

Blurred flashes go by of Zoe, Jayne, Ada, Lemuel, and Wilamena hurriedly coming in...on the same side now.

Mal is falling unconscious on his side...hands still around Lisbeth's neck.

Two days later, back on Serenity...

Jayne and Zoe carried Wash over to the pilot seat, and they got out of The Academy mobile station base and The Halo before Alliance Intelligence could send in reinforcements.

But, if it wasn't for the genius of River, Ada, Lemuel, and Wilamena... Mal wouldn't still be alive and all patched up.

The crew ended up spending most of their credits just to get Serenity all fixed up...because of getting hit hard from asteroids in The Halo all over again.

Ada, Lemuel, and Wilamena were dropped off back to the doorsteps of their homes over the next two days in a hurry. But, only time will tell if being in Alliance mental facilities there is any better.

And... Something is far from right on Serenity.

Mal is fast walking down the hall, heading for his bunk.

A little teary eyed... Zoe asks in concern, "sir...you all right?"

She's now standing by his bunk.

There's a very nervous silence.

Mal starts to say, "Zoe..."

Some tears fall from Mal's face...despite trying to hold them back with closed eyes.

Zoe asks in concern, "sir?"

Mal admits, "I... Hard sniffle! I know I ain't... Hard sniffle! I ain't fit to be captain. Don't know for..."

And... He starts to break down...faintly sobbing.

Somberly... Zoe finishes the thought, "for...how long. Hard sniffle! Ain't got to finish the thought, Mal. You are relieved of duty 'less you could show me you can captain this ship."

She sounds very surprised at first. But, she mostly acts like it's nothing.

She escorts him the rest of the way...down to his bunk.

Mal is about to sit down on his bed.

But... He suddenly turns back to her.

He admits, "I...am kinda relieved. Hard sniffle! You...you know the day has come."

He gulps nervously.

And... He shakily pulls out a manila folder from his brown coat.

Zoe gulps very nervously at that.

She takes the manila file from his hand.

Zoe concludes, "thank you. I... Hard sniffle. I think we'll be relieved when we ain't have to pull rank."

Shakily... Mal just very faintly nods.

Then... Zoe climbs up the ladder...leaving Mal be with his lingering very mixed feelings.

Not long after, in Wash and Zoe's bunk...

They're sitting on the bed together, on top of the bedsheets.

Zoe kind of holds out the manila folder over the bed.

Wash deduces, "wait a minute. You had Mal's dark secret in that folder, and you never even told me?!"

They're looking right at each other now.

Real nervous... Zoe brings up, "honey... Hard sniffle. Do you promise not to tell anyone else?"

Very awkward all of a sudden... Wash is concluding, "well, I... Can I at least know why, lambie-toes?"

With a very faint smile... Zoe points out, "I ain't even know what his darkest secret is. But...I was damn close until... Hard sniffle. Until..."

Wash is looking very nervous now.

Wash assumes, "until...until what? Mal came and played keep away?"

Zoe recalls, "no. Ain't it. Mal killed Luzige. And, when we weren't running from the feds...we argued. Hard sniffle. Knew something was up, and it ain't not just killing Luzige. I got papers and put them in the folder. But... Hard sniffle. Mal caught me. We stood there for...for thirty minutes at gunpoint. Hard sniffle! Ain't a day I'll ever forget."

Some silent tears fall from her face.

A flash goes by...of Mal and Zoe aiming their guns at each other in a real cheap rundown motel.

At the time... The manila folder was on a blackish wood desk between them.

Wash looks wide eyed in shock.

Getting teary eyed himself... He goes, "oh god."

Zoe puts a somewhat assuring arm around his side.

Zoe continues, "things got better. But...but if he were to be emotionally unfit to be captain... Hard sniffle. I were hopin' it be in a time for temperate relaxing for us. But, it clear that... Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. That ain't enough. If he were to be unemotionally fit...it would be the day I finally look at these papers."

Wash fully realizes, "ohh."

Some more tears fall from both of their faces.

Without a second thought... Wash concludes, "yeah. Hard sniffle. Of course I'll keep it a secret. I mean...unless Mal lets all of us in on this. Then, all bets are..."

With a very faint smile... Zoe says, "that's my man."

Wash faintly smiles back.

But, as they read the central news thinboxes in the manila folder... They look in horror.

Elle Reynolds's and Luzige's obituaries in black and white.

Their obituaries say they were killed in the same place and time. But, the shooter was classified as unidentified.

Almost at the same time... Zoe and Wash exclaim, "oh god! Oh dear god!"

They hug each other tight. Tears keep falling from their faces.

And... Serenity keeps on flying...against the black of space.

* * *

 _Loosely Written But Still Based On:_

The Hellhound Trail and The Big Dark; Chapters 6 and 7 from Ghosts in the Black(but not just certain characters; whole chapters) by Robin D. Laws, Andrew Peregrine, Rob Wieland, Eddy Webb, Eloy LaSanta, Monica Valentinelli, Dean Gilbert, and P.K. Sullivan

 _Reference Side Note:_

Mention of a certain unnamed planet and/or moon from the initial 190 pages long movie script of the Serenity movie by Joss Whedon(which is called Bena in this episode collection)


	20. S2, Ep 10: Hands of Blue

Can't Take the Sky From Us:

A Firefly Fanfiction Episode Collection

Hands of Blue:

 _Teaser_

At least two days earlier...

Everyone was on board Serenity.

That was...except for the two unconscious Alliance Intelligence agents Jayne and Zoe hurriedly tossed out of the ship.

Zoe was closing the cargo ramp back up with help from some control panels.

And, with little choice to them... Zoe and Jayne were kind of hurriedly carrying Wash back to the cockpit.

Several more Wraith class ships and plenty of matching shuttles have been hiding out in The Halo and against the very Black itself. They'd been biding their time.

Then...they were coming back around for The Academy's mobile station base.

Back on Serenity, in the cockpit...

Zoe and Jayne set Wash down in the pilot seat.

With a faint smile... Zoe was lightly remarking, "honey...figure it's time to make like leaves."

Wash very faintly laughed.

He briefly slightly turned to her.

He grinned as he does.

And... Wash was figuring, "as far as I tell, dear...we never not understand each other. Hold on to something."

Zoe cuttingly added, "not much as you'd like to think, honey. But, close enough."

They both laughed some.

Wash was already piloting Serenity out on hard burn.

Serenity slingshot flew up and over the side of The Academy's mobile station base...disappearing behind a dust cloud and upwind of asteroid chunks.

The black crescent shaped black ships and matching shuttles were circling around again and again.

But... Nothing.

Soon, inside The Academy's mobile station base...

There were over ten Alliance Intelligence agents checking the place.

They had come up empty there too, and they were all looking real frustrated.

Some of them banged a fist against the cargo bay wall.

Some were practically yelling at each other over incompetence.

Nervous... One of them was muttering under his breath, "we're dead. We're very dead."

One of the Wraith class ships's doors automatically opened.

Two strikingly familiar agents with hands with blue gloves were coming out of the automatically opening door.

And... One of them was carrying a then all too certain dark blue stick sonic device.

Presently...

The two Hands of Blue are back on their Wraith class ship.

One is piloting the ship.

Stars whirl by as the ship flies on.

But... The planet Athens and its moons are fading away to the background more and more on the big Cortex screen.

The other Hand of Blue is standing further back in the stark black interior of the ship.

He is facing a figure in the dark.

The figure is very hard to make out against the stark black interior and the very dim lighting all around.

But, in the dark... There is a creepy silvery blackish handheld camera thing with a slow humming dark red bead of a cybernetic eyepiece.

Emotionlessly... The second Hand of Blue asks, "how long can it be for you to kill him?"

A faintly familiar voice answers, "you don't really know how long I've been planning this. Moderate sigh. I said to give me one week. Maybe two if they going on on a good day. But, that isn't much to the days I left behind."

The second Hand of Blue very faintly smiles.

He mostly assures, "one of the Hands of Gray bribed a woman that has a...very annoying talent for helping Serenity's crew. They told her to stay away from a certain Sunner for a week. But, they made sure to leave why out. The lengths The Alliance have gone to make this plan happen are for the most part classified. But, The Hands of Gray thought you would appreciate the comparison."

He is thinking of Saffron as he says it. But, he'd never reveal it to the figure in the dark.

The figure in the dark faintly laughs.

His cybernetic eye hums more loudly and whirls some.

It moves slightly sideways right.

Then... It moves sharply back ahead.

The figure says, "then, Alliance... I think we do have a deal. Just let me shoot first."

The second Hand of Blue stoically looks back at the figure.

He insists, "that is no big consequence for us. You can have your first shot."

Sounding all too good over it... The figure thinks out loud, "good. I've had enough of The Alliance's tests on me. All those hellish times, lyin' on that medical bed! I couldn't move but a little. But, now... Faint laugh. I now get to pay Captain Reynolds "the same kindness" he gave me back there."

And... The second Hand of Blue and the figure shake on it.

* * *

 _Act I_

Around then, on Serenity...

Wash has his pistol drawn out.

And... He has a very hard look on his face.

He starts to storm out of his and Zoe's bunk.

Wash tries to insist, "I'm not going to kill him! I just want to..."

Tensely... And, loudly... Zoe mutters, "gorram, Wash!"

She is very coldly glaring.

She's already standing in Wash's way.

Wash looks wide eyed now.

He is wearing a very dark blue open buttoned shirt over white.

Zoe is wearing a long sleeved dark red buttoned up shirt over matching dark red.

Zoe warns, "you ain't leavin' this room with that pistol. You hear me?"

She sounds quieter as she says it. But, there's no mistaking her dead serious tone.

Wash nervously gulps.

His hand on the pistol shakes nervously some.

Somewhat nervous... Zoe concludes, "don't care if you just lookin' to shoot Mal's side. Figure I be tempted to do it myself. But..."

Nervously... Wash asks, "yeah?"

Zoe firmly insists, "you ain't gettin' out that shot."

The hard look on Wash's face returns.

His grip on the pistol tightens again. Yet, it's lowered by his side.

He recalls, "what? Do you not remember the part where we found out he killed his own sister?!"

Zoe looks down some.

She moderately sighs.

Then... She looks back up.

Zoe cuttingly figures, "we both looked at the files. And, maybe you better shut up 'fore I deny you takin' off my clothes end of the day."

Wash comments, "okay. Ow."

Zoe very faintly laughs. She remarks, "much as you can shut up anyhow."

Wash adds, "I can do that."

He sounds calmer all a sudden.

They very faintly laugh and chuckle.

They briefly faintly smile.

Solemnly all a sudden... Zoe explains, "point is...he ain't lookin' to shoot either of us. Else, I'd be pointing my rifle at 'im myself. Sides... Heavy sigh. Holdin' out that pistol of yours ain't much better than it 'round Mal. Ain't matter if'n accidental. One of you would kill each other. And, I say no. I will keep a eye on him. I will: Ain't to be you. Dong ma?"

They both get teary eyed. They sniffle hard.

There's a nervous silence.

Then... Wash speaks, "well... Heavy sigh. All right."

He finally puts away the pistol.

Zoe says, "thanks, honey."

The teariness in their eyes starts to dry up.

They faintly smile to each other.

After a bit... Wash says, "you're welcome. But..."

Zoe asks, "yes?"

Wash brings up, "this is a unhealthsome time, dear."

Zoe suddenly smirks a little bit.

She faintly laughs. She comments, "ain't it usual is now?"

Wash faintly smiles.

He reflects, "still... Very faint chuckle. Doing something stupid to try to protect the woman I love nearby...even for a little while before remembering you can kill me with any or all your pretty fingers..."

Zoe laughs hard at the last part.

And... Zoe says, "you have that right."

Wash nervously laughs hard some.

Wash adds, "yeah."

Zoe pointedly remarks, "sometimes it's the kind of stupid we both like though."

Wash says, "yeah."

Wash and Zoe smile wide at the thought.

Zoe thinks out loud, "I figure Inara and Mal been feelin' something mighty similar themselves. They just ain't really...much admittin' to it."

The smile suddenly quickly fades from her face.

She gets teary eyed.

Wash asks in concern, "what's wrong?"

He puts comforting hands on hers.

A few tears escape from Zoe's face.

She sniffles hard.

After a bit... Zoe speculates, "you...you got the feelin' Inara found out about Mal's dark secret 'fore us and left the ship?"

She sounds real nervous.

Very uncomfortably... Wash goes, "I... I... Nervous gulp. Did it just get really cold in here?"

He glances over to a side of the bunk. But, there's no visible air conditioning there.

Zoe rhetorically asks, "you all right?"

Wash looks right at her.

He deeply sighs.

And... He simply answers, "no. I'm not."

Zoe heavily sighs.

Zoe somewhat assures, "ain't all right neither myself. But, 'till we know how long Mal is stayin' alive to himself and on the ship... Sniffle. We got to just keep moving forward."

Nervously... Wash comments, "right: Back to Eavesdown and Badger to see 'bout some new job. Yeah. That sounds plenty "forward"."

Zoe moderately sighs. She reasons, "yeah. Going back to Persephone a mite soon than any of us expectin' runs down chills of its own. Just be ready to fly us out first sign of trouble."

Lightly all a sudden... Wash remarks, "got me piloting this "little rust heap" and duckin' pretty much everybody that ever heard of morals? Very faint chuckle. It's all so I can be around you, my beautiful wife."

They both smirk.

Zoe goes, "mmm. Almost want to take our clothes off right here. But, we still got a job to do."

She very nearly pulls Wash very close to her.

They're both breathing hard some from the sudden rush of the moment.

Awkwardly... Wash considers, "how...how about after?"

With a wide smile... Zoe answers, "damn absolute after."

Wash grins back.

Zoe pulls him close.

They start to make out.

They sexually groan.

But, suddenly... There's a loud banging on the door.

Zoe and Wash quickly pull away.

Zoe draws out her custom made rifle.

And, from the other side... Jayne calls out, "hey! What the hell you two still doin' in there? The ship still ain't flyin' itself to Persephone!"

Wash blushes a little.

Somewhat tensely... Zoe calls back, "none of your damn business!"

Wash asks, "umm...Zoe?"

Zoe shoots back, "what?!"

Wash puts his hands out some.

He gives her a kind of nervous look.

And... He points out, "I am all manner of touched with tellin' him off for me. But...he stomped away before you really could."

Zoe annoyedly rolls her eyes some.

But... She and Wash somewhat nervously smile to each other.

With a smile... And, with a joking deadpan tone... Zoe remarks, "you know...when this job is done? I'm going to kill him."

All too calm sounding... Wash just says, "okay. But, I do get to watch. Right?"

Zoe says, "all right, husband. But, only you."

They both laugh hard some.

They're holding hands.

And... They finally start heading out the door of their bunk.

The rest of the day was still ahead of them and the rest of the crew.

Meanwhile...

Mal hasn't left his bunk much for days.

He only has been coming out at night to see what's left to eat.

For the first two nights... River tried to reach out to him anyway.

But...Mal didn't even talk to her.

He just unsuccessfully tried to hold back tears and walked away from the table with some food.

Deep down... Mal knew too well now what she warned him of:

That who he thought he had to kill was not really Inara.

Now Mal struggles to get any sleep.

All he seems to do is try to think more clearly with sleep.

But, in his mind... Awake or not... Most all he can see is that disturbing memory:

Mal, I... Hard sniffle! I warned you to run.

The silvery neurological sticks chiming and banging hard against the chair.

Tears and violent coughs.

The Academy... I...I can't stop myself! So...much pain in me! Electrically shocked. Almost completely drowning. I...I feel so much more than I wanted to. Mal...Mal, please: Please kill me before... ...before I can't live with myself.

A pained sounding cry.

Stop this! Hard sniffle! This...this ain't a bit like you! Hard sniffle! Hard sniffle! I can't...I can't cut loose! Hard sniffle! Please. No. Faint sob. Faint sob! Please don't make me do this.

More sobs and violent coughs.

I'm...I'm really sorry...for everything we put each other through.

Some bizarre electronic distortions.

But...I can't stop...myself...

It doesn't...matter now. Dead or alive, your...your life as Malcolm Reynolds ends...he...re...

And...a final violent cough.

Out of the mental echoes...

Not much more really needed to be said between him and River.

River could read his mind too easily on it. And, she knew there were no hard feelings toward her.

But... The near silence still really hurt for her and Mal.

Presently, on Persephone...

It's several hours later.

Serenity has a smooth landing in the Eavesdown Docks.

The sun is starting to set already. So, there aren't much people or ships coming at this hour...especially federal and private corporate Alliance agents.

Zoe, Kaylee, River, Simon, Wash, and Jayne are in the cargo hold.

Simon is wearing his open dark blue vest over a long sleeved white formal shirt.

River is wearing a mostly light pink dress: With woven in storybook styled S's in black lettering spiraling down in bright yellow cloth ribbons and pale green flowery lining at the ends of the sleeves.

Kaylee is wearing her small darkish brown T-shirt with gray lined short sleeves and her rustic worn out blue overalls with the word Serenity traced over them.

Jayne is wearing a gray bluish T-shirt with a black collar.

Kaylee lowers the ramp with the pull of a lever.

Zoe tosses a mostly empty brown leather bag to Wash.

Wash easily catches it.

With a smile... Kaylee figures, "get my girl all-fueled up. Almost easy as..."

Wash is going through the coins in his free hand...letting them fall back into the bag.

Wash uneasily mutters, "with dirt? With cheap dirt? That's about all this is gonna get us."

There are some loud clinks as the coins fall back into the bag.

Kaylee is looking incredulous.

Sternly... Kaylee calls out, "Wash! This is my girl."

With a quieter tone... Zoe pinpoints, "much as I ain't lookin' to get between you two...he's right. We've back to flyin' low after saving those kids from The Academy. And, this job the only one that pays ripe right now."

Kaylee uncomfortably nods.

Zoe tells Wash, "get the ship fueled much as you can."

Kaylee, Wash, and River very faintly smile.

Wash concludes, "okay. Okay. I will."

Zoe just adds, "okay."

They put comforting hands on each other's.

Then... Wash starts to head off the ramp and into town.

Zoe turns to everyone else.

She gives them a hardened look.

Zoe addresses, "keep off the radar long enough, we will be free to do what else needs doin'. But, soon as Badger's people come... You don't take your eyes off 'em for a..."

A big shadow with a long ponytail stands on the cargo hold ramp.

It holds a staff out sideways.

The slivers of fading sunshine fade all the more against the passing dust wind and the darkening sky of night.

Jayne whirls around.

And... He violently punches the mystery figure in the face.

He goes down with a thud.

The now unconscious mystery figure is seen to have on a sleeveless gray top, studded black leather wristbands, little gold ribbony earrings, and dark green jeans. He also has muscular arms, a tattoo of a dark gray clay like skull surrounded by a ring of cartoonish fire on one of his upper arms, a really thick black barcode tattoo over the first tattoo, somewhat rough sideburns, and very dark brown hair with a long ponytail.

Sounding very calm... Kaylee asks in concern, "Jayne! Why'd you go and do that now?"

She motions some over to the unconscious figure.

Jayne reasons, "he were crowdin' me. I ain't known him. Besides...ain't like Zoe weren't none thinkin' it."

Wash was about to head down the ramp...until he realizes they're not alone.

Zoe and Wash faintly laugh.

Zoe faintly smirks. But, she doesn't add much else.

Wash is still faintly laughing.

He looks about ready to turn back to Zoe to say goodbye. But...it turns out it's not just one thug.

A familiar voice insists, "it's quite alright, little lady…and not very little pretty lass."

Badger steps onto the ramp...followed by five mostly muscular thugs.

Badger has a silvery canister styled walking cane and a noticeable limp.

He explained over a wave that he recently got involved in a gang war on Persephone.

But... Most everyone else can't help but look fairly stunned at his limping.

One of the thugs is topless and just wears brown overalls. He carries a big gray shotgun by the top like it's a harmless toy.

Badger's large yellow jeep like Mule is parked right by the ramp.

Simon coldly glares in Badger's direction.

Kaylee very faintly smiles. River annoyedly rolls her eyes a little.

Zoe orders, "Wash...stay here."

At the same time... Wash and Kaylee start to argue, "but, what about the...?"

Zoe just gives them a warning glare.

Wash, Kaylee, and Simon gulp nervously.

With a smug smirk... Badger figures, "I don't like the man anyhow...which is why I insisted he go first."

He looks down toward the unconscious man as he says it.

Simon and Jayne stand back more from the ramp. Zoe quietly stands in front of Kaylee and River.

Badger comments, "with yous ugly reputation for trouble, I thought it ain't hurtin' to bring in more people for us meeting. But, in light of some things since we last talked, see... Faint laugh. I'm gonna try to be a little nicer 'round you. Just to be sure I'm clear. Fancy some...?"

He twirls his open hand out on the last part.

Zoe just cuts him off, "ain't surprising me none. You said you had us a job."

She has her arms out and her hands on her hips.

River starts to laugh hard.

Sounding amused... Badger wonders, "well, that's a different attitude. What has your fancy? Is it the hat? I always liked my hat, see?"

He bends down some to be eye level with River.

River stifles some hard laughs, almost doubling over.

Simon asks in confusion, "River?"

River is still facing Badger.

The thugs just plop down on some crates. They look frustrated and bored.

Everyone else is looking amused at River and Badger.

River remarks, "the cane suits you. Hard laugh! Still a sad king on a hill."

Badger is shaking his head. But, he is still smiling.

Badger questions, "that supposed to hurt, Miss Tam?"

At the mention of the last name... Wash, Zoe, and Jayne warningly aim their guns at Badger and his thugs.

The thugs all too readily start to aim back with their own guns.

Some of them are even smirking wide.

Badger nervously and faintly laughs. He brings up, "you have bulletins of your bounties up 'cross all businesses on Persephone. It weren't not good to keep them around my home, see. But, I ain't here to arrest any of you. Wouldn't be good for our business here. And, the last thing I be wantin' is to cage the Tams."

River faintly smirks in a knowing way.

Badger smiles back at her.

Everyone else slowly but surely stands down.

The thugs's frustration and boredom return just as quick.

With no hidden contempt... Simon deduces, "that still doesn't make us feel any better. I also don't trust you near me or my sister."

He starts to get in front of River.

But... River whispers, "it's all right Simon. We go soon: I won't be here long."

Simon awkwardly backs away then.

Kaylee puts a sympathetic hand on his.

And... They faintly smile knowingly to each other.

River remarks, "you're still a sad king. Don't know a good family: Only gold."

Badger presses down on his cane to straighten himself back up.

Badger faintly laughs. He voices, "I still like you, luv. I would even go far as offer business straight to you if you were leavin' this..."

River faintly solemnly smiles.

She tells him, "no. No. Too...too small a hill in all the ways. Find someone with a hill like yours. Not me."

And, suddenly... River fast walks out of the cargo hold.

Wash, Zoe, and Jayne laugh hard at Badger, doubling over.

Kaylee tries to stifle some hard laughs. But, she ends up laughing hard anyway.

Simon fast walks after River just to catch up.

But, in the walls of the hall... River is seeing flashes of cold metal cells.

She's breathing hard.

She's looking warily around her as she keeps walking.

River suddenly groans violently some...clutching her head.

River murmurs, "two by two...hands of Blue. Two by... They're...!"

Some dark red liquid drips from her nose, face, and ears.

Her vision is blurry.

Simon worriedly calls out, "River! River?!"

River starts to fall to the floor.

Simon catches her before she can.

But... River's violent groans are getting longer.

Simon carries her to the Infirmary fast...forgetting anything else.

Fortunately, it's not far down the hall.

Zoe lets Kaylee go check on Simon.

Soon... Zoe and Jayne are escorting the thugs to two guest rooms: Guns ready in case.

Wash goes up to the cockpit to fly Serenity out of the Eavesdown docks.

Soon... Kaylee is in the Infirmary.

Kaylee is wearing Simon's spare set of medical gloves and spare medical gown.

Simon running down a list of possible medical diseases, reading off River's rapidly fluctuating back and forth vital signs, them wetting down a lot of thin cloth, them placing the cloth all around River's head to try to catch all the dark red liquid and stop it from dripping more... It's all a painful blur to Kaylee.

River is coughing violently some and groaning violently a lot on the medical bed.

Some tears fall from Simon's face. A lot of tears fall from Kaylee's face.

A lot of hard sniffles.

Kaylee sobs and sobs under her breath something fierce.

But... Kaylee keeps working with Simon...trying her hardest to help him medically tend to River in time.

* * *

 _Act II_

A half hour later...

River's head is still covered in cloths. But...she is still breathing.

Kaylee has quite a bit of dark red liquid around her medical gloves.

But... River's vital signs have returned to normal.

Kaylee and Simon sigh in great relief.

Simon goes, "yes! We did it! We actually..."

They're both beaming.

Simon checks over the vital signs again.

He informs, "I still don't believe it. No...no sign of decay or brain deterioration. I...I don't know how her heart rate could steady so fast before we could bring out defibrillators. But, we did it!"

They both laugh nervously.

Then, all of a sudden... Kaylee rushes over to Simon.

She somberly murmurs, "oh Simon!"

She hugs him tight.

She completely forgets that she's still wearing dark red liquid covered gloves.

But...Simon doesn't care right now that the back of his clothes is staining.

Tears fall over Simon's shoulder.

Kaylee is faintly sobbing.

She sniffles hard.

Simon sniffles hard some.

He awkwardly hugs her back.

He kind of orients his hands to the side to leave as little stains as possible on her clothes.

At a whisper... Kaylee murmurs, "Simon, I...I almost thought she wasn't going to..."

By her ear... Simon not so softly says, "I'll find out who did this to River. Sniffle. It'll be okay. It'll be okay."

They both sniffle hard.

Some tears fall from Simon's face.

Kaylee keeps faintly sobbing.

And...they stand there like that for a while.

Meanwhile... Serenity is flying higher and higher over the Persephone wilderness.

Serenity soon comes to a standstill...high on the very edge of atmo over a patch of desert.

Not long after, in the cargo bay...

Badger sits in a wood chair from the galley. Zoe, Jayne, and Wash are standing around in front of him.

It hasn't gone unnoticed to Badger that the chair sits on the cargo bay door in the floor.

Zoe has her custom made rifle drawn out and aimed at him. It was like Zoe was taunting him to try to shoot at her first.

Zoe presses on, "you sure you ain't much feel like talkin'?"

Nervously... Badger asks, "where have you taken me?"

Coldly... Zoe warns, "that ain't matter. What does is what you tell us. Now come clean. Or, I could let Jayne and Wash in on shootin' you."

Jayne is kind of gleefully holding out his gun. Wash is somewhat nervously holding out his pistol some.

Badger realizes, "you are serious."

Zoe adds, "damn right. Always am."

Badger shakes his head some.

Interestingly... He concludes, "naw. That ain't it. I mean... Moderate sigh. I mean 'bout being the captain of this heap. See...I almost got to likin' Reynolds."

Jayne mutters, "that supposed to be funny? 'cause I ain't laughing."

Badger faintly somberly smiles.

For a second, that left Zoe wide eyed.

Badger voices, "naw. But... Moderate sigh. Kind of is now. Ain't it? He flashed a heap of them Dust Devils at the gorram law. Ain't sure how long he held himself up in his room here. But, it's a real shame. Moderate sigh. A real bloody shame if you ask me."

Zoe is getting teary eyed. Wash is getting a little teary eyed himself.

Wash nervously asks, "do we really want to talk about this? Here? Is that what we're doing now?"

Zoe puts a kind of comforting hand on his shoulder.

Wash puts a kind of comforting hand on her hand.

They share a hard look.

And... Zoe heavily sighs.

She judges, "Wash...I least ought to set the history straight and up for 'im."

Badger looks real confused now.

He wonders, "what? What you talkin' about? It were Reynolds. It were... Weren't it?"

Zoe tells him, "Badger...you got no idea what we've been through. Best to not tell you what Mal has gone through. Fact of the matter is though...it weren't him that led the Dust Devils. It were me trying to take down The Alliance for good. Hard sniffle! Can see how it real ain't worked a thing. Almost led to Mal shooting me over it too."

For the first time in who knows how long... Badger looks wide eyed in shock.

There's a very awkward and nerve wracking silence.

Badger faintly laughs and laughs. And...he unsettlingly smiles.

Badger concludes, "well...that is interesting. You were lookin' to make some big ass territory for your fellow soldiers there. Faint laugh. Maybe I were wrong 'bout you and Reynolds. Faint laugh. Maybe I ought to have made you a business offer 'stead of him or Miss Tam."

Zoe and Wash very faintly smirk.

Zoe coldly shoots back, "don't count on it."

Badger deduces, "oh well then. Moderate sigh. Always findin' myself disappointed here."

He puts his arms out to the side with his hands up as he does.

With a low tone... Zoe mutters, "enough history. Tell us about if you had something to do with River's condition: Now!"

She points her custom made rifle right into Badger's chest some.

Badger breathes very nervously in reaction.

He coughs violently a little.

Jayne laughs at this.

After a bit... Badger is getting teary eyed.

The laughter swiftly fades in the cargo bay.

Badger practically shouts, "I don't want to see Miss Tam hurt either! All right?! Heavy sigh. If I knew, I'd bloody tell you. But, I don't! I'd even appreciate it if you told me who did this 'cause then I'd have a go at killin' him! But... Heavy sigh. Sniffle. But, I don't think you'd trust me enough."

He wipes some tears off from his sleeve.

Solemnly... Zoe questions, "Wash?"

Wash answers, "I... Moderate sigh. You can call me Fong Luh. But, I think he's telling the truth."

Zoe frustratedly sighs. Zoe figures, "okay then. I might be sendin' you a wave on her latest condition. But, I ain't promisin' nothing."

Nervously... Badger concludes, "that there is...is a fair deal. Thanks."

Zoe pushes back, "don't be gettin' none used to it. Now...more about this job. Now?"

Badger very faintly smiles at that.

Badger brings up, "Battle of Sturges. Heard of it?"

Jayne goes over toward the controls.

He opens up the trapdoor a little...and then just as quickly closes it back up.

The vacuum of space and some spun up wind comes from beneath Badger.

Wash exclaims, "xiàtiān yúchǔn de bìlú! What are you doing?!"

He looks horrified.

With a hard glance... Jayne argues, "hey! I ain't opened it all up. I ain't that dumb! Just long enough to account fer my intimidating manner and wantin' to hear 'bout ruttin' coin already."

With a annoyed glare... Zoe cuttingly says, "we already knew what you was thinkin', Jayne."

Awkwardly all a sudden... Jayne murmurs, "yeah. Well..."

He even looks down awkwardly some.

Wash and Zoe moderately sigh in mixed relief.

Badger cranes his neck some to look at the three of them.

Real nervous... Badger determines, "all right! I'll get to the gorram point. Here's what you and the 'ist'ry books don't know, Zoe. What the Battle of Sturges was fought for...what all them boys and girls died for...was a boatload of cash."

He points his finger out on the last part.

Solemnly... Zoe comments back, "it weren't all they fought for. It were the shortest fight in the war. But... Hard sniffle. There was dead bodies stretched out as the stars."

Wash very nervously gulps on the last part.

Jayne shakes his head.

He crosses his arms.

And... He contemplates, "I got myself a girlfriend like it's out of a fairy tale. But, this here? That just sounds too ruttin' good to be real."

Badger turns his nose up some at him. But, there's plenty more contempt in his face to be had.

Badger mutters back, "believe what you want to. You ask me, you and Reynolds got off too easy on turnin' to your lady frie...nds."

Irritatedly... Jayne mutters lowly, "I real want to shoot you now! But, I figure droppin' you ain't less fun neither."

He points a finger at him on the first part.

He motions over to the controls again on the last part.

Zoe figures, "this won't be much longer, Jayne."

Jayne complains, "already feels too damn long." Wash adds, "you're not alone there."

Wash fiddles some with the pistol in his hand.

Badger gulps nervously. He adds, "stash is real enough. Just sittin' there waitin' for good fashioned salvage."

Zoe asks, "what were the money doing out there?"

Badger heavily sighs.

Teary eyed still... Badger explains, "got a reekin' drunk confession from a slaver. Faint laugh. Easy night fer me. Faint laugh. Word in the underground was The Alliance was bribin' some slavers to recruit the weak left startin' with Sturges. Well...was to be the operation. The law wanted to win the day, see? But, got enough slaves holed up in a place...and it were bloody. Slaves rose up and tried to end their war early...and everyone snuffed themselves in a turn around blink. Slaves took what they could get and flew. But... Very faint laugh. Not all the stashes never were gathered...'long with their rottin' ass bodies."

He snaps his fingers on the next to last part.

Wash, Zoe, and Jayne look disturbed.

Wash and Zoe exchange a somewhat hard look.

Zoe figures, "hate to admit it. But...story's got some truth to it. Ain't never found much of why so much debris."

Jayne comments, "ain't all this story smells of."

Badger continues, "the coordinates, Zoe. Take you right to the battlefield...and the general stash of real them Browncoats got butchered over. It's just sitting there for you, or someone near enough you, to snatch it up. Less my percentage, of course."

He pulls out a dark blue Alli-ray disc: Styled like a old floppy disk with silver brace design and all.

And, in spite of his teary eyes... He unsettlingly smiles.

Badger adds insult to injury, "'sides...you desperate for coin. Like old times really. Faint laugh. Now...do we have a deal?

There's a uneasy silence.

Jayne considers, "it can be worth takin'. Just got to be sure all the coin is real there."

In rapid fire... Zoe asks, "what of adrift blood coin? Other crews? Sturges draws in scavengers like smoked out lambs in the White Sun."

Badger shrugs.

He considers, "seem to be The Alliance cleaned out most the carrion and debris past few days. They sendin' a big ass ship tomorrow in afternoon to salvage crates and shuttles. I ain't care why they are: I only knows they have."

Wash lightly considers, "a Alliance ship? Won't we have to worry 'bout one waitin' out: Even if most of them are sleeping in like carefree kids?"

With a smirk... Badger remarks, "it never that eased on. But, that would be nice to see. See it? Faint laugh. The law just dozing off for once. But, naw: Ain't a Alliance ship official out now. I checked."

With a smirk... Wash adds, "yeah. It sure would be nice to see."

Seeming not at all amused... Zoe checks, "blood coin ain't likely to be left out. That all there is to the job?"

Badger figures, "yeah. So, corporal...what do you say?"

Suddenly... Zoe gets teary eyed.

Badger wonders, "what? Were it something I said now?"

Zoe sheds more light on things, "ain't been called corporeal after Mal near shot me the day he found out 'bout them Dust Devils. Ain't been deserving of it...and now I've had to pull rank 'stead on him. Hard sniffle. Hard sniffle. But...but, captain could best do. That all the truth you gettin'. You understand me?"

She warningly points her custom made rifle at him. But...she's not sticking it into him some either.

A little slowly... Badger answers, "yes. I... I understand well enough...captain."

Zoe smirks.

Zoe figures, "we're done here. I'm in. And, the rest of the crew likely will be too."

She starts to leave the cargo bay.

With a unsettlingly smile... Badger goes, "all right. Good, good. Now...how abouts getting me back to my den 'fore I missed too much?"

Zoe sharply turns back to him.

Zoe figures, "right. That ain't going to hurt...much."

And, before Badger can react... Zoe clocks him with the side of her custom made rifle.

She's been holding it in both hands as she does.

Jayne laughs hard some.

Zoe then puts her custom made rifle away.

With some mixed feelings... Wash asks, "dear, you know I love you. But...you sure that wasn't pushing it?"

They put sympathetic hands on each other's hands.

With a faint smile... Zoe highlights, "we're criminals, dear. It still more kindness than leavin' him limpin'. 'sides...he were starting to really get to me. Sniffle. It ain't a side you would like to see much of."

They slowly but surely start to pull away.

Wash awkwardly goes, "right. Right. I'll...just go back to piloting.

Zoe adds, "thanks, husband."

With a smile... Wash adds, "anytime, dear."

Soon... Zoe and Jayne are leaving the cargo bay.

They are completely ignoring Badger's unconscious body in the chair.

Well...at least until they get back to the Eavesdown docks to drop him off.

He wakes up on the docks along with his men.

But, by then, Serenity is already flying away in the night...with Wash back to piloting.

Into the late night, in the cockpit...

A little teary eyed... Wash is sitting all by himself.

He has already got the Alli-ray disc in one of the consoles.

He flips some switches and hits some buttons

Serenity keeps flying steady in the black.

Zoe stands in the doorway behind Wash.

A little teary eyed herself... Zoe says, "hey, sailor…"

She comes over.

She sits on his lap as she's hugging him.

Wash very faintly smiles.

Zoe finishes the thought, "being captain still weighs awful heavy two ways. Both of us know it. But... Faint sniffle. Got time for me?"

Wash and Zoe faintly and very awkwardly laugh.

But... They're also smiling wider.

Wash more clearly assures, "always."

They start to make out: With Zoe's and Wash's arms and hands darting around each other's backsides.

They both sexually groan.

And, soon... They toss away some of their clothes out to the floor.

The next morning, in the Infirmary...

River is still lying unconscious on the medical bed. But, her head is all cleaned up.

No sign of dark red liquid remains. Only some heavy breathing indicative of a deep sleep.

All the medical cloths are in the trash.

Simon and Kaylee don't have medical gloves or medical gowns on now.

Simon is checking the results of River's vitals: From his Encyclopedia equipped with a little Cortex screen.

And, suddenly... He goes wide eyed.

A little teary eyed... Simon kind of loudly goes, "ohh! Oh...my god."

Simon drops the Encyclopedia.

But, he catches it just as quick.

He puts it down kind of quickly on one of the countertops in the Infirmary.

Kaylee asks in concern, "Simon? What's wrong?"

She stands real close to him from behind.

Simon kind of awkwardly turns back to face her.

Nervous... Simon is realizing, "we've...we've checked through all possible diseases. I already ruled out a psychotic breakdown. Nervous gulp. So, that just leaves...sonic frequencies."

Kaylee goes wide eyed.

A little teary eyed... Kaylee starts to realize, "oh my god! Sniffle. You...you mean like...?"

Simon interrupts the thought, "almost."

Sounding confused... Kaylee wonders, "well...what almost? It is or it isn't. Right?"

Simon heavily sighs. He explains further, "not exactly. The sonic frequency has to have been slightly below what River drew about two months ago. The Hands of Blue meant to get her close to death...and they... Nervous gulp. They knew I could keep her conscious."

With a slight glare... Kaylee mutters, "yeah. With my...help."

Then... Kaylee realizes, "ohh."

Simon brings up, "yeah. Exactly. It's a trap. The whole job has got to be!"

He raises his arms up high.

He just as quickly puts them back down.

He heavily sighs in great frustration.

Kaylee says, "Simon, you're scaring me."

Simon apologizes, "sorry. But, I...I don't know how else to tell you."

Kaylee puts sympathetic hands on his.

With a faint beam... She mostly assures, "it's all right Simon. Faint chuckle. You must have sat down and figured out about how else you could."

In a awkward manner... Simon is very quick to say, "yeah. Yeah. Right."

Kaylee wonders, "besides... How...how you sure it's them? River often rants so much of them. You know?"

She faintly chuckles. But...Simon isn't.

Simon leans back some against the countertop with both hands.

Simon pinpoints, "yeah. But...it was the last thing she said before it hit her. Heavy sigh. I don't know how they were able to smuggle in a device that could put out a sonic frequency like it. But..."

Kaylee finishes his thought, "we got to tell Zoe and Wash."

She sounds very certain as she says it.

Nervously... Simon concludes, "actually...you have to tell Zoe and Wash. If...if they're coming..."

He gulps real nervously.

They pull away.

Kaylee sighs heavily.

They both find it hard to look at each other.

But... Kaylee is quick to conclude, "you have to keep them from taking away River. Sniffle! I understand."

A tear falls from her face.

But, in spite of both of their teary eyes... They faintly smile right at each other.

Simon adds, "thanks Kaylee." Kaylee adds, "of course you're welcome, Simon."

Kaylee starts to fast walk out through the open door to the Infirmary.

But... She pauses.

She solemnly warns, "Simon? Hard sniffle! You got to be careful. Ain't wantin' you to get yourselves killed."

Simon nods.

Solemnly... He tells her, "thank you. I will."

They faintly smile knowingly.

And... Kaylee hurries out of the Infirmary.

She hurries into the cargo bay.

She's halfway to the airlock...when Serenity hits some hard turbulence.

Meanwhile, out in space...

There's Sturge: A mostly abandoned mostly reddish dust covered planet...with the atmo coated with yellowish to dark bluish fuel spills from spiraled down wreckage.

The Black of space above is filled with tens of hundreds of ghostly wreckage of ship hulls of all kinds and sides. Some are even rugged and crudely put together brown and copper rusty slaver cruiser styled ships. And...this is after eighty hundred or more ships and crates were cleared out over many a scattered day.

But... The Alli-ray disc Badger gave to Zoe revealed all of this already to the crew.

In between the ghostly wreckage are floating windshield glass pieces, half blown up crates and crate lids, wide spaces...and corpses and skulls by the hundred thousands.

Zoe is fully dressed...and in a EV suit.

Jayne is in a EV suit alongside her. And, they both have guns ready to fire in case.

They're already in a mostly gray and sickly pale blue shuttle. But, they both wear space helmets.

The airlock is connected to Serenity's airlock. But, there's no air.

The windshield on the shuttle is mostly all gone. But, some picture in a wood frame is still floating about.

Zoe points out, "we're at the second shuttle. So far, the coordinates Badger gave us have gotten shiny."

Rattled... Jayne comments, "yeah. But, Alliance, Independents... Moderate sigh. It still don't seem...right."

He kind of uneasily pries open a crate sitting in the lap of a headless skeleton.

The skeleton is in the pilot's seat. But...it is loosely strapped in.

Two trip wires snap inside the crate.

And, in the crate... A timer is suddenly counting down to ten in light red digital digits.

It's duct taped to a metal stark gray case covered in light to very dark blue wiring.

Over the helmet comlinks... Jayne worriedly calls out, "Zoe...it's a ruttin' Alliance bomb! We gotta get back!"

Zoe and Jayne are going wide eyed in shock.

Over Serenity's comm... Wash murmurs under his breath, "qing wa cao de liu mang."

He looks shook as hell in the pilot seat.

He gets teary eyed.

Zoe and Jayne make a run back for the shuttle airlock.

A fiery explosion is swiftly coming over the shuttle wreckage.

Blue flames from windshield large welding torches tear the shuttle's backside to exploding flaming pieces.

And... The two explosions violently knock Jayne and Zoe backwards...further out into the Black of space.

They're groaning violently, reactively clutching their sides.

They still have air in their battered EV suits.

But...they're now floating helplessly in space.

Back in Serenity, in the cargo bay...

Kaylee has been knocked back to the floor.

She groans hard some. But, she gets up easily.

She's getting more worried.

She hurriedly opens the airlock door.

She calls out in concern, "Zoe?! Jayne?! If you still in there, you got to come back in! It's a...!"

Suddenly... Kaylee screams.

A blue gloved hand is grabbing her by the throat.

And, at the same time... The first Hand of Blue starts to emerge from the airlock.

Kaylee kicks and lunges at him like crazy.

On another hand... River told Kaylee once they wouldn't feel much.

In light of thinking back to that time... Kaylee wasn't in tears or anything.

A big piece of the Hand of Blue's shirt tears away from one of Kaylee's lunges.

But... The Hand of Blue violently tosses her too easily across the cargo bay.

Kaylee violently crashes right into the exercise bench...knocking it down.

A bone snap is heard.

Several weights crash loudly to the floor.

Kaylee is groaning violently a lot and shaking violently some.

Her back is heavily bruised.

She's reactively all curled up as can be over the fallen exercise bench.

The other Hand of Blue is emerging out of the battered and scorched airlock.

The Hands of Blue have chillingly cold looks on their faces.

And... The first Hand of Blue starts to pull out his dark blue rod shaped sonic device.

* * *

 _Act III_

Past the violent groaning... Kaylee murmurs, "oh god!"

A storm of tears starts to fall from her face.

Suddenly... There's a loud choo.

The Hand of Blue's sonic device is shot out of his hand.

And, now... Mal is standing in front of Kaylee.

He has his Liberty Hammer pistol drawn out.

Between the violent groans... Kaylee incredulously calls out, "Mal?! Thank god!"

Coldly... Mal insists, "no. No. It ain't God."

He suddenly notices the blue bullet resistant rubber around the Hand of Blue's exposed torso.

Mal goes, "huh. How's about this?"

He starts to pull out a grenade from his pockets.

But... The Hands of Blue are now just standing there.

They aren't even trying to pull out another sonic device.

Some shivers run Mal's spine.

Mal tries but fails to push back a real nervous gulp.

Between violent groans... Kaylee concludes, "still...real glad to see ya. Ain't...other glad...now. Must have broke...my back being thrown. But..."

Mal faintly smirks toward her.

Before another wave of pain comes over her... Kaylee forces herself to faintly smile back.

But, just as quick... Mal coldly glares toward the Hands of Blue.

Still... Mal heavily sighs.

He admits, "wish I still weren't all torn. But, this is hell comin' all simple like. Faint laugh. And, I gonna keep it away long as I can for me and my crew."

Meanwhile, in the Infirmary...

River is gripping the medical bed sheet hard in her sleep.

She cries out, "belly! ! Not...not yours. Not yours either. Sob! Sob! Hers!"

Some tears escape from her closed eyes.

And... She keeps bunching up in her sleep.

Simon almost reaches out to her.

But, then... He pulls back.

He moderately sighs in frustration.

He clenches his fists.

He remembers that River is still in a deep sleep...and that waking her up quicker with medication in her current physical medical state would only at best tire her out very fast.

Back in the cargo bay...

Mal is about to pull out his shotgun.

But, suddenly... A all too faintly familiar voice cuts in, "funny. Very faint laugh. Because I was thinking you were going to go first...former Captain Malcolm Reynolds."

The figure with the cybernetic eye from earlier has come up from the now open cargo bay door in the floor.

And... He's Alliance Agent Lawrence Dobson.

He's in his clothes from before. But, desert sand from Whitefall has left trails of stains that don't come out.

He has plenty more stubble on his face.

He has a mostly very dark green machine gun styled sniper rifle aimed right for Mal from behind.

Agent Dobson's cybernetic eye hums and whirls around some at Mal.

Some long deep dark reddish scars come down around his eye.

Agent Dobson laughs a little louder.

Mal has a furious look in his eyes.

He sharply turns around to face him.

Now they both have their guns drawn out...ready to fire right at each other's heads.

Agent Dobson adds insult to injury, "I almost didn't pull out when you tried to kill me and dumped me to die. But... Faint laugh. The Hands of Gray saved me from death back on Whitefall. I don't know how long it's been. But, I don't care! So many freakin' tests! So many days of pain I could swear I was dying! But, I didn't really care! What matters to me is I get to return the favor and get my job back in a shot. This assignment. You know... Faint laugh. The only reason those blue boys don't kill you is I get the first shot on you. Faint laugh. Faint laugh. A eye for a eye."

He's very faintly grinning all the while.

In his mind... Flashes are going by fast: Of blurs of being carried on a stretcher by some formally dressed mystery men, of slowly but surely waking up in a white sheeted medical bed, of getting kind of used to the dark red targeting lens of his cybernetic eye, of getting shots of Romadyl and Dilaftin and who knows what else in his strapped down arms and legs, of violently groaning and clutching his head the nights after, of letting the violent headaches subside on their own with no complaint, of getting mannequins of his choice to target practice on with a Alliance issue pistol, of drawing on parchment paper as a new hobby, of his drawings going from himself as a desert wanderer with a light brown cape to Mal's face covered in deep dark red scars, of blurs of his few but thorough planning meetings with some formally dressed mystery men...and a now all too certain talk with the Hands of Blue on their Wraith class ship.

Mal very faintly chuckles.

With a smirk... He remarks, "you always were a damn freak, Dobson. It just clearer colors 'round your head now. But... Faint laugh. Suppose you kill me. What then? 'cause way I figure it...I kill you now same as you kill me."

Agent Dobson faintly laughs.

Coldly... He brings up, "and if you're killed...who's left then to protect River and Simon Tam?"

Mal goes wide eyed in shock at the realization.

The two Hands of Blue are already out of sight.

Mal curses some hard to hear Chinese under his breath.

He impulsively looks down some as he does.

And, in that second... Agent Dobson violently punches Mal in the side.

Their guns go flying.

Agent Dobson doesn't seem to even care he let his own sniper rifle go.

The shotgun and the sniper rifle clink hard against the floor.

Mal coughs violently, doubled over.

Agent Dobson goes to pick up his sniper rifle.

But, in a second... Mal tackle charges right into him.

And... They both fall down through the open cargo bay door in the floor.

They continue falling through a open sideways airlock.

Agent Dobson screams. But...it's short lived.

Agent Dobson is groaning violently some.

He landed with Mal's body mostly on top of him.

They both kind of slowly get up in Agent Dobson's newly commissioned shuttle.

There are several mannequin dolls of Mal in the back of the shuttle.

They have dark red scribbles of nonsense and "Reynolds dies" over their backs and fronts, are held up on silvery pole stands, and have many a bullet in them.

The shuttle is mostly stark black. But, the floor and ceiling are concrete like and gray blue.

Mal and Agent Dobson cry out in anger.

And... They charge at each other.

Meanwhile, in the Infirmary...

Simon breathes very nervously.

He can hear the footsteps outside.

He uses a reoriented magnifying lens from his work area to look around the doorway to get a exact angle.

And... The hints of blue gloves in the magnifying lens give it away for who are coming.

Simon hurries over with a little black three pronged key in his pocket.

He uses it to open a drawer.

And, inside...is the pistol he's had since the day he stormed Niska's Skyplex with Book, Jayne, Zoe, and Wash.

Simon takes a heavy breath.

Some tears fall from his face.

And... He thinks to himself:

 _I'm... I... This is crazy!_

 _I absolutely don't want to do this. But...but there is not another way I know to protect my sister._

 _God, Kaylee, River..._

 _Hard sniffle!_

 _Please forgive me for what I'm about to do._

Simon shakily aims the pistol for the doorway.

He aims it three times. All using the magnifying lens to help focus in more ways than one.

He has a cold look in his eyes. Yet, silent tears are falling from his face.

And, when the Hands of Blue start to come in... There's a loud choo.

The first Hand of Blue is shot right in the center of his face...with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

He falls dead in a instant.

A wave of pure shock runs through Simon.

He's about ready to double over himself.

But... The second Hand of Blue cries out in anger.

He draws out his dark blue rod shaped sonic device.

And... He charges right for Simon.

The second Hand of Blue tears the pistol away from Simon.

Simon's shock takes a back seat to desperation.

He throws back all the pill bottles and syringes he can find on the counters.

The second Hand of Blue keeps reactively catching them and tossing them away. But, it hasn't left him with time to actually use his dark blue rod shaped sonic device.

A lot of loud clinks.

Simon is breathing hard.

Then... He finally hits on something.

He swiftly turns back to face the Hand of Blue.

And, at the same time... He violently swings the silvery head lamp around into the Hand of Blue's head.

The Hand of Blue groans violently some. But, the sheer impact is enough to knock him down to the floor.

Simon shakily aims the pistol at the center of the back of the Hand of Blue's head.

The Hand of Blue is kind of quickly starting to get up.

Simon shoots.

There's three loud choos.

One misses.

But... The third and the second hits the Hand of Blue in the sides of the back of his head.

Brief flashes of dark red liquid are seen.

And... The Hand of Blue falls dead.

Simon very nervously looks out the doorway and around.

After a long minute though... It's clear no more Hands of Blue are coming.

Simon can't take it anymore.

He shakily drops the pistol...letting it fall to the floor.

A loud clink.

Simon hunches down over his knees.

And... He cries and cries.

Back in Agent Dobson's shuttle...

Agent Dobson violently punches at Mal.

But... Mal catches his arm.

He violently hurls him against the pilot seat.

Agent Dobson coughs violently some against it.

Mal then grabs up one of the Mal mannequins from the corner.

He violently slams the pole side of it into Agent Dobson.

Agent Dobson groans violently some and coughs violently.

He's doubling over now.

Mal is about to violently bring down the pole into Agent Dobson's head.

But... Agent Dobson reactively grabs it faster.

They're wrestling over the Mal mannequin over the control panel.

Then... Agent Dobson violently elbows Mal in his other side.

Mal groans violently.

He reactively clutches the co-pilot seat to stay mostly upright.

Agent Dobson rips the whole mannequin off its metal pole.

He angrily cries out.

And... He violently swings the metal pole for Mal's bent over head.

But, suddenly... Mal sees Agent Dobson's Alliance issue pistol on the floor.

It was probably knocked out of the pilot chair when Agent Dobson was hurled into it.

And, in a second... Mal slams the side of the pistol into Agent Dobson's hand.

He reactively clutches his throbbing hand.

And... The metal pole falls to the floor.

A loud clink.

Mal very coldly looks at Agent Dobson.

And... He aims the pistol right for Agent Dobson's other eye.

Agent Dobson looks shocked.

He's sweating more than ever now.

He murmurs lowly, "no! This was...my shot. It was all to be...!"

Mal faintly laughs. And, he adds insult to injury, "just makin' sure you ain't coming back bein' corpsified."

He shoots Agent Dobson.

A loud choo.

Agent Dobson falls dead...with brief flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

With resurfacing mixed feelings... Mal heavily sighs some.

He faintly smirks in satisfaction.

He gets teary eyed.

He kind of quickly pulls himself back up through the airlock.

But, when he gets back to the cargo bay... Kaylee is nowhere to be seen.

Mal worriedly calls out, "Kaylee?! Wash?! Zoe?! Simon?! What the gorram hell is...?"

Then... A familiar voice says, "captain...you are not in Hell. But, I've kept wondering if you'll one day find yourself and your crew in a part of hell you can't walk or crawl out of. Looks as though Inara was right this time."

Mal turns around.

And... He looks wide eyed in shock.

He realizes, "preacher? But, how...how in the damn verse did you...?!"

Book is standing there now.

Some Companion police, Browncoats, and people in light dusty colored robes are searching the whole ship.

Some are carrying out Kaylee on a stretcher through the airlock.

A little teary eyed... Book solemnly smiles.

He tells him, "we've found everyone on your crew. They're going to live. But, right now...let's just say my path of God has taken a very interesting turn. And, it is not working for The Alliance."

Mal starts smiling wider at that.

He says, "welcome back to Serenity, preacher."

Book faintly and nervously chuckles.

He looks down some.

He pointedly reflects, "you have your ship Serenity. I have a home on Haven. Faint chuckle. Interesting how similar and different they sound."

Mal firmly nods.

He says, "fair enough. But...what's troublin' you?"

Book kind of cryptically says, "I believe that's something you should try to discuss with Simon."

Kind of shakily... Mal adds, "all right. I...I will."

He goes through the airlock to try to find Simon.

Late that night, in a undisclosed location...

A Alliance figure stands alone before a silvery vacuum cleaner styled console.

The silvery control room is brightly lit. There's a giant blue turbine in the wall.

The Alliance figure has medium black hair. And, he wears all white.

His hands are in front of him: Blocked from view.

A headshot picture of a nervous looking River is seen on top of the console.

It was taken from early days in The Academy.

The River in the picture is wearing a low cut pinkish red top and light brown overalls with black Aztec styled rings. And, the background is a fiberglass biodome full of life.

But, around the corner... Badger is seen in the shadow of the doorway.

He starts to step out of the shadow with his cane.

He's surprisingly teary eyed.

And... He is glaring furiously.

The Alliance figure doesn't even turn around.

All too casually... He concludes, "you have done well, Badger. The Hands of Blue and Dobson failed. But, we already sent a million credits in advance for your work. You should be thankful: Not..."

Badger mutters back, "don't not as much care this time fer credits! See...the gorram deal has changed."

The Alliance figure starts to pull out a gray tinted rod from his pockets.

But, just before he can fully pull it out... Badger presses hard down on the floor with the cane.

And... The Alliance figure is violently groaning some.

Even against the set high pitch coming from the cane... He's still mostly standing.

He turns around, hunched over.

The dark red liquid starts dripping around his nose, face, and ears.

The Alliance figure is ready to activate something on the gray tinted rod.

But... Badger just violently jabs him in the chest with the cane.

He hunches over, nearly falling in the process.

But... He kind of easily rebalances his limping leg with his other and the jabbed in cane.

The cane more violently jabs in the Alliance figure...with flashes of dark red liquid splatter.

The Alliance figure is violently coughing and violently groaning more and more.

Tears fall from Badger's face. But, the furious glare remains.

And, all the while... Badger reveals, "I had the cane checked after checkin' what else coulda near killed River. You snuck a sonic device in my gorram cane! You said she would not be hurt if'n I helped Reynolds get killed! Well... Laugh. Sniffle. Turns out I'm better with love and bloody revenge than your bloody...hands."

But... The Alliance figure is already lying dead.

Badger heavily sighs in mixed feelings.

He hears alarms going off with loud chime chones.

The two hatch styled doors are automatically closing shut.

Badger takes The Alliance figure's rod from his dead hands.

With very little time to move... He's using the rod and his cane as stilts.

He makes a kind of fast yet shaky walk for the exit.

Two newer Hands of Blue are charging into the control room.

Part of Badger's coat gets caught in a hatch styled door.

It rips away.

Most of half of his coat falls to the floor. But...Badger just keeps fast walking from the other side of the door.

Badger faintly laughs with some very mixed relief.

His hands of blue are free to kill Alliance agents...and it will be a while before they can catch up to him again.

Around then, back on Serenity...

Serenity keeps being towed through the black...by a Firefly Class Series 4 ship.

It's double the size of Serenity.

But, even so... They're going to the same place: The planet Haven.

* * *

 _Loosely Written But Still Based On:_

The Hands of Blue part of The comic mini-series Better Days by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews


End file.
